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With  Compliments 

OF 

Maynaf.d,  Merrill,  &  Co, 


SPECIMEN    COPY 

The  Young  American 


PRICE 


For  Introduction, 


60  cts. 


Books  ordered  for  introduction  will  be  delivered  at  the 
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Maynard,   Merrill,  &  Co.,   Publishers 

29,  31,  and  33  East  19TH  Street,  New  York 


^§0 


tMMSWJ 


GEORGE  WASHINGTON 


TH  E 


BY 


HARRY  PRATTJUDSON,LL.D. 

HEAD  PROFESSOR  OF  POLITICAL  SCIENCE 

INTHE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO 


MAYNARD  MERRILL.&C9  NEWYORK 


JCVRIOMT    IO»7,    9V    MAVNANO.MeRHlLI.     Si  C  O. 


SELF 
YRL 


The  interest  of  the  day  is  not  thai  of  mere  study,  of  sound  scholar- 
ship as  an  end,  of  good  l ks  for  their  own  sake,  bul  "f  education  as 

a  power  in  human  affairs  ;  of  educated  men  as  an  influence  in  the 
commonwealth.  "Tell  me,"  said  an  American  scholar  of  Goethe,  the 
many-sided,  "whai  ili<l  he  ever  do  for  the  cause  of  man?"  The 
scholar,  the  poet,  the  philosopher,  are  men  among  other  men.  From 
these  unavoidable  social  relations  spring  opportunities  and  duties. 
How  do  they  use  them?  II<>\v  do  they  discharge  them?  Does  the 
scholar  show  in  his  daily  walk  thai  he  has  studied  the  wisdom  of  ages 
in  vain?  Does  the  poetsing  of  angelic  purity  and  lead  an  unclean 
life?  Does  the  philosopher  peer  into  other  worlds,  and  fail  to  help 
this  world  upon  it-  way  ?  Pour  yeai-s  befoi'e  our  Civil  War.  the  same 
scholar— il  was  Theodore  Parker — aid  sadly  :  "  If  our  educated  men 
had  done  their  duty,  we  should  ii"t  now  be  in  the  ghastly  condition 
we  bewail." — Qeorg<    William  Curtis. 


2031401 


PREFACE 

Reading  is  more  than  mere  elocution.  Ii  implies  good  articula- 
tion, accent,  inflection,  modulation  of  voice,  and  all  the  resl  thai  has 
to  do  with  using  the  vocal  organs  as  a  mechanism  for  conveying  ideas. 
Bui  all  this  is  merely  mechanical  mile—  there  is  also  a  clear  compre- 
hension of  the  meaning  of  the  ideas  to  be  conveyed.  One  may  per- 
haps learn  to  pronounce  a  foreign  language  withoul  understanding  it. 
Bui  such  rendering  of  a  piece  of  literature  in  thai  tongue  would  be 
highly  unintelligent. 

A  boot  adapted  to  practice  in  reading,  then,  may  lie  in  one  of  two 
forms.  Ii  may  contain  merely  a  variety  of  select  inn-,  carefully 
graded  to  the  average  capacity  of  pupils  of  a  given  age,  and  by  the 
variety  of  ii-  contents  affording  a  wide  range  of  interesl  ami  exercise. 
Or  ii  may  throu ghoul  follow  one  main  line  of  thought,  with  such  inci- 
dental variet)  as  maj  be  convenient.  The  former  is  obviously  prefer- 
able for  the  main  work  of  teaching  to  read.  Bui  no  one  learn-  to  read 
without  also  learning  many  things  from  whal  he  reads.  Ami  if  this 
learning,  incidental  in  the  use  of  mosl  reading  books,  is  made  more 
prominent,  it  is  clear  thai  a  hook  migh!  well  be  constructed  on  the 
second  plan. 

This  is  the  thought  which  underlies  the  presenl  volume.  It  i-  in- 
tended to  fulfill  a  double  function— to  afford  exercise  in  reading,  ami 
at  the  same  time  to  give  such  knowledge  a-,  being  treated  continu- 
ously, instead  of  in  the  usual   fragmentary  manner,  may  1 f  -i 1 1  >- 

stantial  value. 

Nothing  need  !»■  said  of  the  importance  of  the  study  of  our  civil 
institutions  in  the  schools.     It  is  a   well-known   fact  that   the  great 


G  PREFACE 

mass  of  boys  ami  girls  finish  their  schooling  in  the  lower  grades. 
Few  reach  the  high  school,  still  fewer  get  to  college.  Whatever 
teachers  can  do,  then,  in  the  direction  of  good  citizenship,  must  be 
done  early,  or  not  at  all. 

But  much  can  be  done.  In  many  ways  love  of  country  may  be 
fostend.  No  little  knowledge  of  the  structure  and  working  of  our 
governmenl  may  be  imparted;  and  it  is  quite  possible  to  give  a  very 
definite  notion  of  the  rights  and  duties  of  citizenship.  This  must  be 
dune,  however,  by  the  teacher.  No  text-book  alone  will  answer. 
Whatever  aid  of  thai  nature  is  furnished  must  be  supplemented  by 
the  teacher's  living  knowledge  and  constant  interest. 

It  is  the  hope  of  the  author  that  this  book  may  serve  as  a  help  to 
teachers  in  such  work — as  the  nucleus  around  which  such  work  may 
gather.  Of  course  each  teacher  will  use  it  in  his  own  way.  But  in 
the  appendix  will   be  found  a  few  suggestions  which  may  lie  helpful. 

There  has  been  no  attempt  to  make  a  comprehensive  treatise  on 
civics,  or  on  American  history.  The  outlines  only  of  our  system  of 
government  have  been  sketched,  leaving  the  teacher  to  fill  in  the 
-ketch  and  to  adapt  it  to  his  particular  locality  as  he  may  see  fit.  As 
to  history,  that  has  been  treated  only  when  it  seemed  necessary  for 
understanding  given  existing  institutions.  The  author  will  be  more 
than  satislied  if  the  brief  historical  discussions  suffice  to  illuminate 
the  various  topics  of  government,  ami  at  the  same  time  prove  sug- 
gestive— a  stimulus  to  wider  reading  and  more  exact  knowledge. 

The  selection- which  are  scattered  through  the  chapters,  in  prose 
and  verse,  it  will  be  seen  are  largely  from  American  authors.  Of 
course  many  more  might  have  been  added.  But  perhaps  there  are 
sufficient  for  the  purpose. 

The  book  is  submitted  with  the  hope  that  it  may  aid  in  teaching 
genuine  patriotism  and  intelligent  citizenship. 


CONTENTS 


Preface, 

I.  Oub  Country, 

II.  The  Republic, 

III.    I,  \\\ -    \M>  Tin.ii;    M  \ki.i:-. 

I\'.  What  w  i    Mean  by  Qovebnment,   . 
V.  How    the    People    of    Eubope    Found    Amebk  \ 

Came  to  Live  in  It 

VI.   N  \  I  TON  \i.  [ndepek  dence,  . 
VII.   A   Fedebal  Repi  lil.H  ..... 
VIII.  Amebh  w   Home   Rule 

IX.    Till.    LAW-MAKER8 

X.  How  Laws  Abe  Enfobced, 
XI.  The  President's  Cabinet, 
XII.   How  Laws  Are  Enforced  in  the  States, 

XIII.  Judge  \m>  Jury, 

XIV.  How  mi.  Government  Gets  Money, 
XV.  Who  We  Are 

XVI.   Who  Abe  <  M  r  Rulers 

Appendix  A    A   1'i.u    Wobds  to  Teachebs, 

B.  A  Brief  A<  <  >>i  nt  of  the  Constitution, 
c.  Tin.  i  ionsti  1 1  i  ions  "i    i  in.  States    . 


Wl 


I' A  I .  h 

9 
29 
36 
13 

18 

(il 
95 

lull 

119 
126 
L37 

KIT 

I-, , 

L95 
202 

239 

■Jin 
243 


SELECTIONS 


Education  \mi  I'm. nn  -    . 
The  True  1'  vtbiotism, 
The  St  lb-Spangled  Banner, 
'I'm.  Amebii  \n  Flag, 
ll ah.,  ( Iolumbia  ! 
Tin-:  Republic,    . 


!>    William  Curtis, 

William    WatSOU,      . 

Francis  Scott  A' 

./(/»////  Rodman  Drake,  . 

Jusi  fill  llojihinson, 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow 


13 

24 
26 


CONTENTS 


The  Necessity  of  Government, 

The  Landing  op  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  in  New  England, 

The  Discovery  op  Gold  in 
California, 

Supposed  Speech  of  John 
Adams  in  Favob  OP  A 
Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, .... 

Our  Relations  with  England, 

On  Laying  the  Cornerstone 
of  the  Bunker  Hill  Mon- 
ument,        .... 

In  Favor  of  War, 

Bunker  Hill,      .... 

Warren's  Address  to  the 
American  Soldiers  at 
Bunker  Hill, 

Song  of  Marion's  Men,     . 
The  Migration  to  Kentucky, 
The  Patriot  Traveler   in   a 

Foreign  Land,     . 
The  Gettysburg  Address, 
Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic 
Greek  War  Song, 
The  Bivouac  of  the  Dead, 
Old  Ironsides,    . 
Taxes  the  Price  of  Glory, 
Mrs.  Dustin's  Escape, 
Lovewell's  Fight,     . 
What  Constitutes  a  State  '.' 
The   True  Greatness  of   Na 

tions, 
America,     .... 


Jo/in  C.  Calhoim, 
Mrs.  ffemans. 
James  Schouler, 


Daniel  Webster, 
Edward  Everett, 


Daniel  Webster, 
Patrick  Henri/, 
B.  F.  Taylor. 


John  Pierpont, 
William  Cullen  Bryant, 
John  James  Audubon, 

Robert  C.  Winthrop, 
Abraham  Lincoln,  . 
Julia  Ward  Howe, 
Translated  by  Lord  Byro 
Theodore  O'Hara,    . 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes, 
Sydney  Smith, 
Charles  Carleton  Coffin. 
Anonymous, 
Sir  William  Jones, 

Lord  Bacon,     . 
Samuel  F.  Smith, 


n, 


PAGE 

.  41 
.  53 
.  59 


OS 

77 


81 
85 
90 


91 

92 
105 

117 
135 
143 
144 
145 
156 
200 
214 
216 
231 

232 
230 


Thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  A.  W.  Bison  &  Co.  of  Boston 
for  courteous  permission  to  use  reproductions  from  their 
admirable  series  of  large  photogravures  intended  for  school- 
room decoration,  "  The  Makers  of  Our  Nation,  and  Our 
J 3a t 'ties  for  Freedom." 


A    UNIT 


STATES  CRUISER 


THE  ¥OUNG   AMERICAN 


THE  CAPITOL    AT   WASHINGTON 

The  national  capitol  is  a  very  noble  and  dignified  building.  It  is  built  of  sandstone 
and  marble,  with  a  multitude  of  stately  columns,  and  a  majestic  dome  towering  over 
all.  The  entire  building  covers  three  and  one-half  acres.  Crowning  a  loftyhill  and 
surrounded  by  spacious  gronnds,  the  capitol  is  a  conspicuous  object  at  a  distance  of 
many  miles. 

The  corner  stone  «a*  laid  by  President  Washington,  September  is,  1703.  The  wings 
of  the  central  part  were  completed  in  1811,  and  were  burned  by  the  British  in  1814. 
The  entire  central  part  was  finished  in  1827.  The  present  large  wings  were  begun  in 
1851,  and  the  greal  iron  dome  was  completed  in  1865 

The  building  faces  east.  The  north  w  iiiLT  contains  the  Benate  chamber,  the  smith 
u  Ing  that  of  the  house  of  representatives.  The  supreme  court  meets  in  the  old  senate 
chamber,  in  one  of  the  original  wings.  At  the  main  entrances  are  magnificent  bronze 
doors,  and  the  halls  and  corridors  are  rich  with  statuary  and  historical  paintings. 


CHAPTEB    I 


Our  Country 


i.  Why  We  Love  Our  Country. —  Every  good  Ameri- 
can citizen  loves  his  country  and  is  prond  of  it.  We 
have    very  good    reasons    both    foi    the    love   and    for  the 


id  Till-:    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

pride.  Ours  is  one  of  the  greatest  nations  of  the  world, 
in  area  of  territory,  in  number  of  people,  in  wealth 
and  in  power.  We  also  think  that  the  citizens  of  the 
greal  republic  are  among  the  most  intelligent  in  the 
world.  Free  public  schools  make  it  possible  for  every 
one  to  get  some  sort  of  an  education,  and  books  and  news- 
papers are  found  in  every  home.  But  better  still  is  the 
liberty  which  we  enjoy.  We  have  no  king  or  emperor 
to  rule  over  us.  We  choose  our  own  officers  of  state, 
who,  indeed,  are  not  our  rulers,  but  are  merely  public 
servants.  In  some  countries  the  police  are  constantly 
interfering  with  people.  A  public  meeting  cannot  be  held 
without  the  consent  of  the  police.  The  police  watch  the 
hotel  registers  and  keep  careful  track  of  all  strangers. 
If  a  club  or  a  debating  society  is  formed,  the  police  have 
to  be  notified.  Then,  too,  every  young  man  has  to  spend 
several  years  as  a  soldier — for  most  of  the  nations  of 
Europe  keep  vast  armies  always  ready  for  war.  Now,  with 
us  the  policeman  and  the  soldier  are  much  less  prominent. 
As  long  as  one  is  not  a  thief  or  some  other  sort  of  criminal, 
the  police  let  one  quite  alone.  And  no  one  in  our  country 
needs  to  be  a  soldier  at  all.  Our  few  soldiers  are  all 
volunteers.  In  short,  we  live  in  a  free  land,  in  which 
every  one  may  live  his  life  in  his  own  way,  so  long  as  he 
does  not  interfere  with  the  rights  of  his  neighbors. 

2.  These  are  some  reasons  for  loving  our  country. 
There  are  many  other  reasons  too,  but  perhaps  these  are 
enough  to  show  what  we  mean.  Still,  it  may  be  as 
well  to  add  one  more — it  is  our  home.  There  are  few 
words  dearer  to  any  genuine  man  or  woman  than  home. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 


11 


Hut  just  as  the  liome  is  the  center  of  the  life  of  the  family, 

so  our  country  is  the  center  of  the  nation's  life.     It  is  oar 

home    land  — 1  be    land  of  our 

fathers   ami    mothers,    of   our 

brol hers  and  sisters.     And  he 

is  a  poor  ingrate  who  does  not 

dearly  love  his  home. 

3.  What  We  Mean  by  a 
Patriot.  —A    patriot     is     one 
who  loves  his  fatherland — his 
country.     People   show   patri- 
otism    in    various    ways.       In 
t  iuie  of  war,  when  t  he  national 
safety  is  menaced   by  a  public 
enemy,    men   are    ready   to 
enter  t  lie  army  and  to  give 
their  lives,  it'  need  be,  in 
defence   of  their    country. 
A    true     patriot,     too,    is 
pleased  by  everything 
which  reflects,  credit  on  Ins 
homeland,      lie  is 
anxious   that    its 
public  aff  airash  all 
be    stained    with 
no    meanness    or 
dishonor. 

1  .  •  scion  after  1 1 1«  -  battle  of  Lexington.  Having  entered  the 
anxious  that  Its  BritJ8h  ]iosa  in  NewYork  to  gel  information  for  General 
government   shall      Washington,  he  was  detected,  and  was  hanged  as  a  spy, 

September  22,  1776.    Sis  lasl  words  were,"!  only  regret 
always       be       jllSl      that  I  have  bnt  one  life  to  lose  for  my  country." 


MOM    U  I  N  1     "i      N  VIII  \N     II  \1  I. 


Captain  Nathan  Hale,  of  the  revolutionary  army,  was  a 
lie   is     young  graduate  of  Vale  College,  who  went  into  theservice 


12  THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN 

and  generous  in  dealing  with  the  governments  of  other 
nations.  He  docs  not  wish  an  advantage  secured  from  any 
other  nation,  especially  from  a  weaker  one,  by  wanton  vio- 
lence or  by  fraud.  He  is  delighted  with  every  advance  of 
his  country  in  the  arts  of  civilization,  and  pained  at  the 
triumph  of  evil  men  or  of  vicious  measures.  And  he  is 
always  ready  to  do  what  he  can  to  make  his  country 
1  letter  or  stronger  or  safer. 

4.  What  a  Patriot  is  Not.— We  have  seen  some  of  the 
reasons  which  an  American  has  for  being  proud  of  his 
country.  But  in  order  to  be  a  patriot  it  is  not  at  all 
necessary  to  be  a  boaster.  Indeed,  a  true  patriot  is  so 
-are  of  the  solid  merit  of  his  country  that  he  does  not 
need  to  say  much  about  it.  If  a  man  is  in  the  habit  of 
talking  about  his  own  honesty,  it  leads  others  to  suspect 
that  perhaps  after  all  he  is  trying  to  cover  up  a  streak  of 
dishonesty.  At  any  rate,  bragging  is  a  weak  and  foolish 
habit.  And  bragging  of  one's  country  is  quite  as  foolish 
as  it  is  for  a  boy  to  boast  of  his  father's  wealth  or  of  his 
sister's  beauty. 

5.  Neither  is  it  a  sign  of  patriotism  to  despise  other 
countries.  We  may  love  our  own  the  best,  but  one  who 
does  not  know  that  other  countries  also  are  great  and  power- 
ful and  famous,  is  merely  very  ignorant.  If  we  respect 
other  nations  for  their  good  qualities,  we  are  all  the  better 
fitted  to  understand  and  admire  the  like  qualities  in  our  own. 

6.  Sneering  at  other  races  is  no  sign  of  patriotism.  Boys 
and  girls  sometimes  are  apt  to  think  themselves  better 
than  one  of  their  mates  who  was  born  in  a  foreign  land, 
and    to  show  their  superiority  by  using  for  him  some  sort 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN  18 

of  foolish  nickname.  Bui  this  is  very  silly.  [a  he  a 
German  ?     The  Germans  have  some  of  the  gri  names 

and  have  done  some  of  the  greatesl  deeds  in  all  history. 
Is  he  an  Italian  ?  Italy  is  a  beautiful  land,  famous  for 
some  of  the  finesl  painters  and  musicians,  and  for  some  of 
the  wises!  statesmen  ami  the  braves!  soldiers  of  any  land. 
Is  he  a  Jew  ?  They  arc  a  wonderful  people,  and  a  list 
of  the  greal  men  who  are  Jews  would  be  a  very  long  one. 
Indeed,  one  may  well  be  glad  and  proud  to  belong  to  any  of 
these  races,  or  of  many  others  which  might  be  mentioned. 


The    True    Patriotism 
An   English  poet's  idea  of  what  patriotism  means 

W"  I  I.I.I  A  M      W  ITSON 

The  ever  lustrous  name  of  patriot 
To  no  man  may  be  denied  because  h<'  saw 
Where  in  his  country's  wholeness  lay  the  Haw, 
Where,  on  her  whiteness,  the  unseemly  blot. 
England  !  thy  loyal  sons  condemn  thee.     Wha!  ! 
Shall  we  be  meek  who  from  thine  own  breasts  drew 
Our  fierceness  '.     No!  ev'n  thou  shal!  overawe 
Us  thy  proud  children  nowise  basely  got. 
Be  this  the  measure  of  our  loyalty 

To  feel   thee  nohle,   and   weep  thy   lapse  the  more. 

This  truth  by  thy  true  servants  is  confess'd 
Thy  sins,  who  love  thee  most,  do  most  deplore. 
Know   thou  thy  faithful  1      Bes!  they  honor  thee 
Who  honor  in  thee  onlv  what  is  best. 


il  THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

7.  What  a  Patriot  Should  Know. —  It  is  not  enough 
for  a  patriot  to  thinh  that  his  country  is  a  very  good  and 
comfortable  land.  No  opinion  is  worth  much  unless  it 
comes  from  actual  knowledge.  It  is  a  very  commonly 
observed  fact  that  the  more  ignorant  people  are,  the  more 
they  are  stuffed  with  prejudices.  But  prejudice  is  merely 
a  strong  opinion  which  is  formed  with  a  very  scanty  hasis 
of  knowledge.  Now.  in  fact,  no  opinion  is  worth  much, 
as  we  said,  unless  it  belongs  to  one  who  knows  what  he  is 
talking  about.  A  jeweler  who  has  spent  all  his  life  in  a 
city,  probably  would  not  know  much  about  farming.  If, 
then,  he  should  go  into  the  country  and  begin  giving  a 
farmer  advice  about  the  management  of  his  crops,  the 
farmer  would  laugh  at  him.  The  jeweler's  opinion  about 
repairing  a  watch  would  doubtless  be  better  than  the 
farmer's,  but.  on  the  other  hand,  the  farmer  would  be  apt 
to  know  more  about  planting  corn.  In  other  words,  it  is 
knowledge  that  gives  an  opinion  its  value. 

8.  Then,  our  opinions  about  our  country  are  not  worth 
very  much  unless  we  know  something  of  its  history.  We 
ought  to  know  how  it  is  governed,  how  the  laws  are 
made,  how  they  are  enforced,  what  the  courts  are  and  how 
they  do  their  work,  what  are  the  rights  of  a  citizen  and 
what  are  not  his  rights.  We  ought  to  know  how  our 
country  came  to  lie  what  it  is,  who  are  some  of  the  great 
men  it  lias  produced,  and  what  they  have  done.  With 
some  of  this  knowledge  our  opinions  are  much  less  likely 
to  be  mere  prejudices. 

9.  There  is  another  importanl  reason  for  knowing  some- 
thing  ahoiit    the   way   in    winch   our  country   is  governed. 


THE    VOUNQ    AMERICAN 


15 


With  us  aboul  every  man  of  full  age,  thai  is,  twenty-one 
years  old  or  over,  is  a  yoter.  The  mosl  <d  all  public  offi- 
cers are  elected.  And  a  \roter  is  ool  ?ery  useful  whose 
ideas  of  what  lie  is  noting  Eor  are  in  a  fog.  He  is  easily  led 
by  shrewd  and  unscrupulous  demagogues  ;  be  is  simply  a 


RAl    w      I     SHERMAN    SALUTING    Till,    FLAG     \  I'    WEST    POUM 


10  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

tool,  a  slave.  It  is  often  said  that  knowledge  is  power. 
We  might  add  that  knowledge  of  public  affairs  is  liberty. 

10.  The  Flag. —  Every  nation  has  a  flag  of  its  own, 
with  an  appropriate  combination  of  colors  and  symbols. 
This  flag  Hies  from  the  mast  of  a  ship  on  the  ocean,  thus 
indicating  at  once  to  what  country  she  belongs.  The  flag 
is  raised  on  a  staff  in  forts  and  military  camps,  is  carried 
by  soldiers  on  the  march  and  in  battle,  and  is  used  very 
commonly  by  people  in  token  of  their  patriotism.  On 
the  Fourth  of  July  we  see  the  American  Hag  everywhere, 
and  it  is  the  custom  now  in  many  parts  of  the  country  to 
keep  it  floating  over  the  school-houses  whenever  school  is 
in  session.  The  American  flag  has  thirteen  horizontal 
stripes,  seven  red  and  six  white.  In  the  upper  corner,  next 
the  staff,  is  a  blue  square  lilled  with  white  stars.  The  thir- 
teen stripes  indicate  the  thirteen  original  states,  and  the 
stars  show  the  number  of  states.  When  a  new  state  is 
admitted,  on  the  next  Fourth  of  July  a  new  star  is  added 
to  the  Hag. 

ii.  There  are  now  forty-five  states  in  the  Union.  But 
no  flag  made  before  July  4,  L896,  should  have  more  than 
forty-four  stars.  Utah  became  a  state  January  4,  1896. 
Every  flag  hoisted  over  a  national  fort  or  ship  or  build- 
ing, on  the  third  of  July,  L896,  had  forty-four  stars, 
showing  the  number  of  states  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1895, 
but  on  the  morning  of  the  Fourth  of  July.  1896,  every 
such  flag  should  have  had  forty-five  stars. 

12.  How  a  Famous  Song  was  Written. —  During  the 
second  war  with  England,  in  1814,  a  British  expedition 
attempted  to  capture  the  city  of  Baltimore.     In  order  to 


THE    YOUNG    AMERK  AN  17 

do  that  it  was  necessary  first  to  reduce  Fori  McIIenry, 
and  so  the  warships  moved  up  near  it  and  opened  a  heayj 
fire  of  cannon-balls,  bomb-shells,  and  rockets.*  During 
the  battle  a  small  party  of  Americans,  carrying  a  Hair  of 
truce,  went  out  to  the  British  Heel  in  order  to  secure  the 
release  of  an  American  citizen  who  had  been  taken  pris- 
oner. One  of  the  party  with  the  fiag  of  truce  w;i-  Fran- 
cis Scott  Key.  The  business  being  finished,  the  Ameri- 
can-  were  detained  overnighl  in  the  fleet,  far  to  the  rear  of 
the  attack,  in  order  that  they  might  not  be  able  to  give 
information  of  what  they  had  seen.  The  bombardmenl 
went  on  long  after  dark,  and  Mr.  I\e\  eagerly  listened  to 
the  sound  of  the  guns  and  watched  the  red  rockets  and 
the  bursting  bombs,  being  ^iwe  as  long  as  the  firing  con- 
tinued that  the  fori  still  held  out.  Bui  late  in  the  nigh< 
the  guns  became  silent.  Did  it  mean  thai  the  attack  had 
been  repulsed;-'  Or  had  the  fori  surrendered?  Only  the 
daylight  would  tell.  Before  dawn  the  anxious  Americans 
were  watching.     'The  firsl   faint   lighl  of  day  showed  them 

the  star-  ami  stripe-  -till  floating  over  the  ramparts  of  the 
fort.  Then  they  knew  that  the  attack  had  failed  and  that 
the  Americans  were  victorious.  Mr.  Key  walked  the  deck 
in  deep  emotions  of  joy.  and  gave  vent  to  his  feelings  in 
the  verses  of  a  patriotic  song.  These  he  scribbled  on  a 
scrap  of  [taper  which  he  found  in  his  pocket.  ( m  reach- 
ing land  he  gave  his   song  to  a  friend,  and  it  was  sum:'  at    a 


*  Not  long  before  the  war  of  1812  an  English  officer  named  Congreve  invented  a 
rocket  which,  acting  <>n  the  same  principle  as  our  well-known  sky-rocket,  could  be 
thrown  quite  accurately  at  an  enemy.  It  proved,  however,  to  )«•  a  missile  which 
looked  more  dangerous  than  ii  really  was.  The  Congreve  rocket  was  used  bj  tin-  Brit- 
ish in  manj  battles  of  the  war  of  i-i-j 


is 


77/ 1:  vorxa  ami:i;k  .\.\ 


theater  in  Baltimore,  the  singer  waving  a  flag  as  she  sang. 
The  audience  were  wild  with  enthusiasm.     In  a  very  short 

"*rL>u  of  jir,M  \  \W-W  e\\\\\„  " 


\ir?to.v  Spannlcd  ^niiiu'v. 


THK    OKKilNAL        STAK-SI'ANCiLEI)    BANNER 

The  flag  of  Fort  McHenry,  which  Key  saw' by  the  dawn's  early  light."  It  will 
he  noticed  that  tin-  flag  has  tifteen  stripes.  The  original  plan  was  to  add  one  stripe,  as 
well  as  one  star,  with  each  new  state.  But  in  1S18  it  was  seen  that  this  would  some 
day  make  the  flag  an  absurdity,  so  the  number  of  stripes  was  fixed  at.  the  original 
thirteen. 

time  the  new  song  went  all  over  the  republic,  and  is  now 
known  and  loved  by  all  Americans.  It  is  called  "The. 
Star-Spangled  Banner." 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 


1!» 


20  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


The    Star-Spangled    Banner* 

<  >  say,  can  you  see,  by  the  dawn's  early  light, 

What  so  proudly  we  hailed  at  the  twilight's  last  gleaming— 
Whose  broad  stripes  and  bright  stars,  through  the  clouds  of  the 
fight 

O'er  the  ramparts  we  watched  wei'e  so  gallantly  streaming  ! 
And  the  rocket's  red  glare,  the  bombs  bursting  in  air, 
Gave  proof  through  the  night  that  our  flag  was  still  there  • 
O  !  say,  does  the  star-spangled  banner  yet  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave  ? 

On  that  shore  dimly  seen  through  the  mists  of  the  deep 

Where  the  foe's  haughty  host  in  dread  silence  reposes. 
What  is  that  which  the  breeze,  o'er  the  towering  steep, 

As  it  fitfully  blows,  now  conceals,  now  discloses  ? 
Now  it  catches  the  gleam  of  the  morning's  first  beam, 
In  full  glory  reflected  now  shines  on  the  stream  : 
Tis  the  star-spangled  banner  ;  0  long  may  it  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave  ! 

And  where  is  that  band  who  so  vauntingly  swore 

That  the  havoc  of  war  and  the  battle's  confusion 
A  home  and  a  country  should  leave  us  no  more  ? 

Their  blood  lias  washed  out  their  foul  footsteps'  pollution. 
No  refuge  could  save  the  hireling  and  slave 
From  the  terror  of  flight,  or  the  gloom  of  the  grave  ; 
And  the  star-spangled  banner  in  triumph  doth  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave. 

':  The  song  is  taken  as  it  appears  in  Stedman  and  Hutchinson's  Library  of  American 
Literature,  vol.  iv.,  p.  H9.  The  text,  slightly  different  from  the  commoi e,  corre- 
sponds to  the  facsimile  of  a  copy  made  by  Mr.  Key  in  1840. 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  i\ 

o  \  thus  be  it  ever,  when  freemen  shall  stand 

Between  their  loved  homes  and  war's  desolation  ! 
Blesl  with  victory  and  peace,  maj  the  heav'n  rescued  land 

Praise  1 1 1 « -  power  that  hath  made  and  preserved  us  a  nation. 
Then  conquer  we  must,  when  our  cause  it  is  just, 
A  ml  this  be  our  motto     '   In  God  is  our  trust"  : 
And  the  star  spangled  banner  in  triumph  shall  wave 
<  >Vi-  the  land  of  the  free,  and  the  home  of  the  brave. 

13.  The  Storm  at  Samoa.-  In  the  spring  of  1889  there 
was  trouble  at  the  island  of  Samoa,  in  the  South  Pacific, 
and  warships  wen-  >cnt  there  by  Germany,  Greal  Britain, 
and  the  United  States.  These  vessels  lay  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  Apia.  The  harbor  is  a  small  semi-circular  hay. 
with  shoal  water  extending  far  from  the  shore  and  a  coral 
reef  running  nearly  across  the  entrance.  A  narrow  break 
in  the  reef  allows  ships  to  enter  the  hay.  One  day  in 
March  a  heavy  storm  came  up.  So  fierce  was  the  wind 
ami  so  tremendous  the  waves  that  the  vessels  dragged  their 
anchors,  and  one  after  another  four  warships  and  ten 
other  craft  were  driven  on  shore  and  wrecked.  Nearly  a 
hundred  fifty  of  the  seamen  lost  their  lives.  In  the  fury 
of  the  hurricane  the  captain  of  the  British  ship  Calli- 
ope decided  to  leave  the  harhor  and  force  his  way  out  to 
sea.  as  the  only  means  of  safety  from  shipwreck.  All 
-team  was  put  on.  and  inch  by  inch  the  gallanl  ship 
fought  its  wav  in  the  teeth  id'  the  howling  wind  and  the 
crashing  waves.  "This  manceuver  of  the  British  ship  is 
regarded  as  one  id'  the  most  daring  in  naval  annals.  It 
was  the  one  desperate  chance  offered  her  commander  to 
save  his   vessel    and    the    three    hundred    lives   aboard.      An 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

accident  to  the  machinery  at  this  critical  moment  would 
have  meant  certain  death  to  all.  To  clear  the  harbor  the 
Calliope  had  to  pass  between  the  Trenton  (the  American 
flagship)  and  The  reef,  and  it  required  the  most  skilful 
seamanship  to  avoid  collision  with  the  Trenton,  on  the 
one  hand,  or  total  destruction  upon  the  reef,  on  the  other. 
The  Trenton's  tires  had  gone  out  by  that  time,  and  she  lay 
helpless  almost  in  the  path  of  the  Calliope.  The  doom  of 
the  American  flagship  seemed  but  a  question  of  a  few 
hours.  Nearly  every  man  aboard  felt  that  his  vessel  must 
soon  be  dashed  to  pieces,  and  that  he  would  find  a  grave 
under  the  coral  reef.  The  decks  of  the  flagship  were 
swarming  with  men,  but.  facing  death  as  they  were,  they 
recognized  the  heroic  struggle  of  the  British  ship,  and  as 
the  latter  passed  within  a  few  yards  of  them  a  great  shout 
went  up  from  over  four  hundred  men  aboard  the  Trenton. 
•Three  cheers  for  the  Calliope!'  was  the  sound  that 
reached  the  ears  of  the  British  tars  'as  they  passed  out  of 
the  harbor  in  the  teeth  of  the  storm;  and  the  heart  of 
every  Englishman  went  out  to  the  brave  American  sailors 
who  gave  that  parting  tribute  to  the  Queen's  ship.  The 
English  sailors  returned  the  Trenton's  cheer,  and  the 
( 'alliope  passed  safely  out  to  sea,  returning  when  the  storm 
had  abated.  Captain  Kane,  her  commander,  in  speaking 
of  the  incident,  afterward  said  :  '  Those  ringing  cheers  of 
the  American  flagship  pierced  deep  into  my  heart,  and  I 
shall  ever  remember  that  mighty  outburst  of  fellow-feeling 
which,  I  felt,  came  from  the  bottom  of  the  hearts  of  the 
gallant  admiral  and  his  men.  Every  man  on  board  the 
(alliope  felt  as  I  did  ;  it  made  us  work  to  win.      1  can  only 


The  younq  America^  ■:■■■ 

say,  'God  bless  America  and  her  noble  sailort-  !'  The\ 

were  thrilled  with  admiration  for  the  dauntless  com 
of  the  brave  British  seamen  on  the  Calliope;  ami  in  their 
own  extremity  they  showed  equal  courage.  Twice  Eng- 
land has  been  our  enemy  in  war.  But,  after  all,  in  peace 
we  cannol  forge!  thai  Englishmen  and  Americans  are  of 
one  blood.  Late  in  the  day,  when  ship  after  ship  had 
been  dashed  to  destruction,  and  the  Trenton,  shattered 
and  helpless,  seemed  drifting  to  certain  wreck,  the  anxious 
people  (in  the  beach  heard  music  amid  the  roar  of  the 
hurricane.  It  was  the  band  of  the  Trenton  playing  "The 
Star-Spangled  Banner."  The  gallant  sailor-  were  facing 
death  with  the  national  music  in  t  heir  cars  and  its  ringing 
words  in  their  thoughts.  It  carried  their  minds  hack  to 
the  homeland  which  they  loved  and  for  which  they  were 
ready  to  die. 

14.  Another  Poem  About  the  Flag. — Joseph  Rodman 
Drake  was  a  young  American  poet  of  grea!  promise.  His 
early  death  (he  died  in  L820,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five) 
came  before  he  had  fully  shown  his  rare  powers.  \\  hen 
he  was  only  seven  years  old  he  had  much  literary  knowledge, 
and  at  fourteen  he  had  already  written  poetry  of  good 
quality.  His  principal  poems  were  "The  Culprit  Fay" 
and  the  stirring  stanzas  on  "The  American  Flag." 

*  From  theacc it  in  SI.  Nicholas,  February,  1890,  bj  Mr.  John  1'.  Dunning. 


24  TEE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

The  American  Flag 

Joseph   Hodman  Drake 

When  Freedom  from  her  mountain  height 

Unfurled  her  standard  to  the  air, 
She  tore  the  azure  robe  of  night. 

And  set  the  stars  of  glory  there. 
She  mingled  with  its  gorgeous  dyes 
The  milky  baldric  of  the  skies, 
And  striped  its  pure  celestial  white 
With  streakings  of  the  morning  light  ; 
Then  from  his  mansion  in  the  sun 
She  called  her  eagle  bearer  down, 
And  gave  into  his  mighty  hand 
The  symbol  of  her  chosen  land. 

Majestic  monarch  of  the  cloud. 

Who  rear'st  aloft  thy  regal  form, 
To  hear  the  tempest  trumpings  loud 

And  see  the  lightning  lances  driven, 
When  strive  the  warriors  of  the  storm. 

And  rolls  the  thunder-drum  of  Heaven,  - 
Child  of  the  Sun  !  to  thee  'tis  given 

To  guard  the  banner  of  the  free, 
To  hover  in  the  sulphur  smoke, 
To  ward  away  the  battle-stroke, 
And  bid  its  blendings  shine  afar. 
Like  rainbows  on  the  cloud  of  war, 

The  harbingers  of  victory  ! 

Flag  of  the  brave  !  thy  folds  shall  fly, 
The  sign  of  hope  and  triumph  high, 
When  speaks  the  signal  trumpet  tone, 
And  the  long  line  comes  "learning  on. 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

Ere  yet  the  life-blood,  warm  and  wet, 
Has  dimmed  the  glistening  bayonet, 
Each  soldier  eye  shall  brightly  turn 
To  where  thy  sky  born  glories  buni  ; 
Ami.  as  his  springing  steps  advance, 
Catch  war . -Hid  vengeance  I'mm  the  glance. 

Ami.  when  thecannon  ithings  loud 

1  leave  in  wild  wreaths  the  battle  shroud, 
And  gorysahres  rise  and  tall 
Like  sh<><>ts  of  flame  on  midnight's  pall. 
Then  shall  thy  meteor  glances  glow, 

And  cowering  foes  shall  shrink  beneath 
Each  gallanl  arm  that  strikes  below 

That  lovely  messenger  of  death. 

Flag  of  the  seas  :  on  ocean  wave 
Thy  stars  shall  -litter  o'er  the  brave  : 
When  heath,  careering  on  the  gale, 
Sweeps  darkly  round  the  bellied  sail. 
And  frighted  waves  rush  wildly  hack- 
Before  the  broadside's  reeling  rack. 
Each  dying  wanderer  of  the  sea 
Shall  look  at  once  to  Heaven  and  thee. 
And  smile  to  see  thy  splendors  fly 
In  triumph,  o'er  his  closing  eye 

Flag  of  the  free  heart's  hope  and  holm-  \ 

By  angel  hands  t<>  Valor  given  ! 
Thy  stars  have  lit  the  welkin  dome. 

And  all  thy  hues  were  horn  in  Heaven. 
Forever  lloat  that  standard  sheet  ! 

Where  breathes  the  foe  hut  falls  before  us. 
With  Freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet, 

And  Freedom's  banner  streaming  o'er  us 


26  the  vorxa  American 

15.  Judge  Hopkinson's  Patriotic  Song. — Joseph  Hop- 
kinson  (born  L770,  died  L842)  was  a  native  of  Philadelphia. 
His  father  was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  Joseph  was  educated  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  became  a  lawyer,  was  a  representative  in 
congress,  and  a  judge  of  the  federal  courts.  He  wrote 
••  Hail.  Columbia!  "  in  1798,  when  there  was  danger  of  a 
war  with  France.  The  popular  excitement  at  that  time 
was  very  great.  The  young  navy  was  sent  to  sea  to  guard 
our  merchant  ships,  and  preparations  were  made  for  the 
organization  of  an  army.  Washington  was  called  from 
his  retirement  at  Mt.  Vernon  and  given  command  of 
this  army.  John  Adams  was  president.  The  music,  then 
called  the  "  President's  March,"  was  played  in  the  theaters 
and  by  bands  on  the  streets  as  a  popular  patriotic  tune. 
Young  Mr.  Hopkinson  was  asked  to  write  a  song  for  the 
music,  which  might  be  sung  at  the  benefit  of  a  well-known 
actor.  The  song  was  "  Hail,  Columbia!  "  and  was  received 
by  the  audience  with  the  wildest  enthusiasm.  In  a  very 
few  days  it  was  sung  from  Maine  to  Georgia. 

Hail,  Columbia  ! 

Joseph  Hopkinson 

Hail,  Columbia  !  happy  land  ! 
Hail,  ye  heroes  !  heaven-born  band  ! 
Who  fought  and  bled  in  Freedom's  cause. 
Who  fought  and  bled  in  Freedom's  cause, 
And  when  the  storm  of  war  was  gone 
Enjoyed  the  peace  your  valor  won. 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICA  \  27 

Lei  independence  !'«'  < ►« i r-  boast, 
Ever  mindful  what  it  cosl  ; 
Ever  grateful  for  the  prize. 
Let  its  altar  reach  the  skies. 

Firm,  united,  let  us  be, 
Rallying  round  our  Liberty  ; 
As  a  band  <>f  brothers  joined, 
Peace  and  safety  we  shall  find. 

[mmortal  patriots  !  ris< ce  more  : 

1  >efend  your  rights,  defend  your  shore  : 
!  iel  no  nidi'  foe  with  impious  hand. 
Let  no  rude  foe  with  impious  hand. 
Invade  the  shrine  where  sacred  lies 
Of  toil  and  blood  the  well  earned  prize. 
While  ottering  peace  sincere  and  just. 
In  Heaven  we  place  a  manly  trust. 
Thai  truth  and  justice  will  prevail. 
And  every  scheme  of  bondage  fail. 

Firm,  united,  etc. 

Sound,  sound,  the  trump  of  Fame  ! 

Let  Washington's  greal  name 

Ring  through  the  world  with  loud  applause, 

Ring  through  the  world  with  loud  applause  ; 

Let  every  clime  to  Freedom  dear. 

Listen  with  a  joyful  ear. 

With  equal  skill  and  godlike  power, 

He  governed  in  the  fearful  hour 

Of  horrid  war  :  or  guides,  with  ease, 

The  bappier  times  of   honest  peace. 

Firm,  united,  etc. 


•> 


THE    YOVXU    AMERICA  X 


Behold  the  chief  who  now  commands, 
Once  more  to  serve  his  country,  stands— 
The  rock  on  which  the  storm  will  heat  ; 
The  rock  on  which  the  storm  will  heat. 
But,  armed  in  virtue  firm  and  true, 
His  hopes  are  fixed  on  Heaven  and  you. 
When  hope  was  sinking  in  dismay, 
And  glooms  obscured  Columbia's  day, 
His  steady  mind  from  changes  free, 
Resolved  on  death  or  liberty. 

Firm,  united,  let  us  be, 
Rallying  round  our  Liberty; 
As  a  band  of  brothers  joined. 
Peace  and  safety  we  shall  find. 


CHAPTEB    II 

The  Republic 

i.  What  We  Mean  by  a  Republic.  — (  Mir  of  I  he  things 
which  we  Americans  like  about  our  country  is  that  it  has 
a  republican  form  of  government.      All  the  independent 

nations  in  .North  or  South  America,  like  Mexico.  Chili, 
iiinl  Brazil,  for  instance,  arc  republics.  In  Europe,  how- 
ever, only  France  and  Switzerland  are  republics.  AH  the 
other  countries  are  monarchies. 

2.  [n  a  republic  all  the  public  officers  either  are  chosen 
by  the  people  or  are  appointed  by  somebody  who  is  chosen 
by  the  people  ;  and  all  the  laws  arc  made  by  a  body  of  men 
who  arc  chosen  by  the  people.  If  the  people  do  not  like 
the    laws    which  are  niadc  they   have   only   to  choose  a  new 

body  of  lawmakers.     And  if  the  public  officers  d t  do 

their  duty  as  the  people  want  it  done,  it  is  easy  to  make  a 
change  there,  too.  So  you  sec  that  in  a  republic  the  peo- 
ple really  govern  I  bemselves. 

3.  Kings  and  Emperors. — In  a  monarchy  it  is  differ- 
ent. At  the  head  of  tic  government  is  a  monarch,  called 
usually  king,  or  emperor.  He  is  not  chosen  by  the  people. 
hut  holds  his  place  merely  because  his  father  was  king  or 
emperor  before  him.  Neither  can  the  people,  if  they  do 
not  like  him.  select  some  one  else  to  take  his  place.  He  re- 
mains in  his  office  as  long  as  he  lives,  and  when  he  dies  Ids 
son.  or.  in  some  countries,  bis  daughter,  if  there  is  no  son. 
becomes  monarch  in  his  place. 


BO  THE  YOUNG  AMERICAN 

4.  How  Russia  is  Governed — Russia  is  a  good  exam- 
ple of  a  pure  monarchy.  The  monarch  is  called  the  tsar, 
which  means  emperor.  When  ;i  tsar  dies  his  oldest  son,  or, 
if  he  lias  no  son,  his  oldest  brother,  at  once  succeeds  to  the 
throne,  and  holds  it  in  turn  as  long  as  lie  lives.  So  the 
people  have  no  voice  in  deciding  who  shall  he  their  monarch. 

5.  All  the  laws  are  made  by  the  tsar.  Of  course  he  has 
men  whose  duty  it  is  to  advise  what  the  law  shall  he.  lint 
the  tsar  selects  these  men.  and  he  does  not  have  to  he  guided 
by  their  advice.  80  in  reality  he  makes  the  laws,  and  the 
people  have  nothing  to  say  about  it. 

6.  Again,  all  the  public  officers  are  either  appointed  by 
the  tsar  or  by  some  one  who  is  appointed  by  the  tsar.  So 
the  people  have  no  choice  of  rulers  at  all. 

7.  In  short,  the  tsar  governs  Russia  quite  as  he  pleases. 
If  he  decides  on  war,  it  makes  no  difference  what  the  peo- 
ple want.  The  armies  and  the  fleets  obey  the  tsar's  orders  ; 
the  taxes  are  laid  and  collected  at  his  will.  War  and  peace 
are  at  the  tsar's  pleasure. 

8.  A  ruler  who  has  so  much  power  as  this  is  called  an 
absolute  monarch.  There  are  not  many  such  among  civ- 
ilized nations.  In  nearly  every  country  in  Europe  except 
Russia  the  people  have  some  power  in  the  government. 
But  nearly  all  of  them  have  a  monarch,  who  rules  for  life, 
and  is  succeeded  on  his  death  by  his  son. 

9.  An  Aristocracy. — .Most  monarchies  also  have  an 
aristocracy.  By  this  we  mean  a  body  of  men  who  have 
some  privileges,  especially  political,  which  other  men  do 
not  have.  For  instance,  in  England  the  laws  are  made  by 
a   body  of  men  called  parliament.     Part  of  this  body  are 


77/ E   TOUNO  AMERICA  V 


31 


chosen  by  tin-  people,  jusl  a-  i-  the  case  in  a  republic. 
Inn  ili.-  other  part,  called  the  house  of  lords,  consists  of 
men  the  mosl  of  whom  have  the  righl  to  lie  members  of 
parliament  merely  because  their  fathers  did  before  them. 
When  a  lord  dies  his  oldesl  son  at  once  take-  his  place,  jusi 
as  in  case  of  the  Russian  tsar. 

10.  There  was  a  time  when  the  members  of  an  aristoc- 
racy had  many  other  privileges.  Bui  in  mosl  countries 
these  have  passed  away.  Still,  in  nations  which  have  mon- 
archy and  aristocracies  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  people 
cannol  govern  themselves  as  they  do  in  a  republic. 

ii.  No  Inherited  Rank  in  a  Republic. — We  have  in 
our  country  no  monarch  and  no  hereditary  lawmakers. 
It  seems  to  ii-  very  droll 
that  any  man  should 
hold  a  public  office  mere- 
ly because  his  father 
did.  We  know  that 
very  often  a  son  does  not 
inherit  his  fat  her's  tastes 
or  brains  or  good  charac- 
ter. And  we  do  not  see  why  there  should  he  a  hereditary 
monarch  or  lord  of  parliament,  any  more  than    hereditary 

grocers  or  teachers  or    fanners,      [nd 1    it    i.-    not   many 

centuries  since  nearly  all  occupations  were  inherited  in  just 
that  way.  lint  people  have  learned  thai  a  shoemaker's 
-on  may  he  a  xcvx  poOr  shoemaker,  and  that  if  he  would 
rather  he  a  tailor  it   is  better  not    to   interfere   with    him. 

And.  anyway,  we  prefer  t<>  cl se  our  own  public  officers, 

rather  than   have  them  selected  tor   us  bv  the  accident  of 


i.i",    in  i    u  una    1  i\<  .>i  s    u  \-    BORN 


32 


THE    YOUNG  AMERICAS' 


birth.  And  we  prefer  to  make  our  own  laws,  rather  than 
to  have  them  made  for  us  by  somebody  we  have  not 
selected  for  that  purpose. 

12.  How  Success   May  be  Won   in   a   Republic. — In 
a  republic  it  is  quite  possible  for  a  very  poor  boy,  if  he  has 


Published  and  copyrighted,  1894,  by  A.  W.  Elson  &  Co.,  Boston 
ABRAHAM    LINCOLN 


brains  and  perseverance  enough,  to  rise  to  the  highest 
rank.  One  of  our  greatest  presidents  was  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. His  father  was  a  poor  man,  and  Abraham  as  a  boy 
lived  in  a  log  house  on  an  Illinois  farm,  and  did  every  day 
the  roughest  and  hardest  work.  Books  and  schooling  were 
not  easy  to  get.     But  he  was  determined  to  learn  all  he 


Till:    YOUNO   AMERICAN 


could.  So  after  a  bard  day's  work  he  would  spend  his 
evening  hours  reading  and  studying  by  the  Lighl  of  pine 
knots  burning  on  tin'  hearth.  On  one  occasion  he  bor- 
rowed an  importani  book,  and  became  so  anxious  to  own 
it    that     he   copied    it    word    for    word    with    pen    and    ink. 


PnbUabad  ■nd  Wlfjriglltri,  18U3,  b,  A.  W.  EUod  (t  Co.,  Boston 

HENRI     WADSWOBTB    LONGFELLOW 


AJter  long  years  of  patient  toil  he  had  learned  enough  to 
become  a  Lawyer.  In  this  profession  he  kept  on  with  his 
hahits  <,f  tireless  industry,  always  Learning  more,  always 
becoming  more  thoughtful  and  clear-sighted.  Gradually 
he  became  a  great  political  leader,  and  finally  was  elected 
president  of  the  United  States.     In  this  office  he  showed 


84  THE  YOUNG  AMERICAN 

rare  wisdom  at  a  time  of  the  utmost  public  difficulty  and 
danger.  There  was  a  bloody  civil  war.  and  it  seemed  that 
the  republic  would  fall  to  pieces.  But  it  was  saved.  And 
his  name  will  live  as  long  as  history  tells  the  story  of  our 
republic.  Thus  the  poor  lad  who  hoed  corn  and  split  rails 
for  a  scanty  living,  became  the  head  of  a  great  nation. 
That  could  hardly  happen  in  a  monarchy.  But  many  of 
our  great  men — statesmen,  generals,  orators — have  had 
quite  such  a  record  as  Lincoln's.  ]u  a  republic  there  is  a 
chance  for  every  one. 

13.  An  American  Poet's  Apostrophe. — Henry  Wads- 
worth  Longfellow  was  one  of  the  greatest  American  poets. 
He  was  born  in  Maine  in  1807,  and  died  in  1882.  He  was 
graduated  at  Bowdoin  College,  in  his  native  state,  in  1825, 
and  afterwards  held  a  professorship  in  his  alma  mater. 
From  that  post  he  was  called  to  a  professorship  in  Harvard 
University.  There  he  continued  about  twenty  years,  re- 
signing to  give  his  whole  time  to  writing.  In  his  long  life 
he  wrote  many  poems.  The  few  lines  following  are  from 
"The  Building  of  the  Ship." 

The   Republic 
Henry    W.   Longfellow 

Thou,  too,  sail  on,  0  Ship  of  State  ! 
Sail  on,  O  Union,  strong  and  great  ! 
Humanity,  with  all  its  fears, 
With  all  the  hopes  of  future  years, 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  tliy  fate  ! 
We  know  what  master  laid  thy  keel, 
What  workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  of  steel, 


Tin:   YOVNQ   A  VSRICAN 

Who  made  cadi  mast,  and  sail,  and  rope 
Wh.it  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat, 

In  what  a  forge,  and  what  a  heat, 

Were  shaped  tin-  anchors  «>t'  thy  hope  : 

Fear  in>t  each  sudden  sound  and  shock  ; 
'Tis  <>f  the  wave,  ami  not  the  rock  ; 
'Tis  I'ut  the  flapping  of  the  sail. 
And  not  a  rent  made  h\    the  gale  ! 
In  spite  of  pock  and  tempest's  roar, 
In  spite  of  false  lights  on  the  shore, 
Sail  on.  nor  fear  to  breast  the  sea  ! 
( >ur  hearts,  our  hopes,  are  all  with  thee  ; 
Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  our  praj  ers,  our  tears 
(  )ur  faith  t  rinmphaiit  o'er  our  fears. 
v  re  all  with  thee,      are  all  with  thee  ! 


CHAPTER  III 
Laws  and  Their  Makers 

i.  What  We  Mean  by  Laws. — People  are  often  con- 
fused when  they  talk  about  law,  because  they  mean  very 
different  tilings.  But  there  is  no  difficulty  if  only  we  are 
quite  sure  what  we  mean. 

For  instance,  we  speak  of  the  "law"  of  gravitation. 
Tli is  merely  means  that  material  bodies  attract  one  an- 
other;  that  a  stone  tossed  in  the  air  will  fall  towards  the 
ground — as  boys  say,  "What  goes  up  must  come  down  " — 
and  that  we  know  how  to  calculate  the  speed  of  such  a 
falling  body.  But  we  see  at  once  that  this  is  a  law  which 
men  did  not  make — they  have  discovered  it.  It  is  what  is 
known  as  a  law  of  nature. 

2.  When  a  gentleman  meets  a  lady  on  the  street,  if  he  is 
acquainted  Avith  her  he  lifts  his  hat  as  a  sign  of  respect. 
He  wants  to  be  polite,  and  he  wants  her  to  know  that  he 
understands  what  politeness  requires.  This  rule  of  lifting 
the  hat  to  a  lady  is  one  of  the  common  laws  of  politeness. 
There  are  many  such  laws.  It  would  be  hard  to  say  who 
made  them,  but  they  are  obeyed  by  common  consent. 
They  are  rules  for  action  which  people  heed,  and  so  are 
very  properly  called  laws.  But  we  see  at  once  how  differ- 
ent they  are  from  the  laws  of  nature.  The  law  of  gravita- 
tion is  merely  the  regular  way  in  which  we  see  that  bodies 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN  37 

of  matter  are  drawn  towards  one  another.  Bui  the  stone 
thrown  in  the  air  cannoi  help  falling  towards  the  ground. 
Endeed  it  has  no  choice.  On  the  other  hand,  a  man  can  be 
impolite  it'  he  wishes.  Many  people  are  very  rude  in  their 
conduct.  We  sn\  then  thai  they  are  breaking  the  law-  of 
politeness.  Bui  no  one  ever  heard  of  a  stone  "  hreaking" 
i  he  law  of  gravitation. 

3.  If  a  burglar  is  caughl  stealings  policeman  will  soon 
march  him  to  the  police  station.  Presently  tin-  prisoner 
finds  himself  before  a  judge  ami  jury.  The  facts  are 
proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  jury,  ami  the  judge  then 
sentences  him  to  prison.  This,  the  judge  says,  is  accord- 
ing to  "law" — a  law  which  explains  what  is  meant  by 
burglary  and  which  tixes  a  penalty  for  the  hurglar.  It  is 
the  duty  of  the  policeman  and  of  the  court  to  enforce  the 
law  by  arresting  and  punishing  the  criminal.  We  see  at 
once  that  such  laws  as  these  are  made  and  enforced  in 
order  to  protect  people  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  own 
property.  If  it  were  not  for  the  courts  and  the  policemen, 
thieves  would  do  ahout  as  they  pleased.  Everybody  would 
have  to  watch  day  ami  night  to  keep  his  things  from  being 
stolen. 

4.  Now.  of  these  various  kinds  of  law.  the  only  one 
which  we  shall  talk  ahout  is  the  third — the  kind  of  law 
which  it  is  the  duty  of  a  judge  and  jury,  a  court,  to 
enforce.  When  we  speak  of  the  laws  of  a  country,  of  law- 
makers, of  lawyers,  we  refer  to  law  of  this  kind. 

5.  Who  Make  the  Laws? — Every  country  has  a  set  of 
laws  of  its  own.  Some  of  these  explain  what  ads  are  for- 
bidden, ami  how  such  acts  arc  to  he  prevented,  or.  if  done, 


38  THE    YOUNO    AMERICAN 

how  they  shall  be  punished.  Acts  which  the  law  forbids 
are  called  crimes,  and  laws  which  relate  to  them  arc  called 
criminal  laws — just  as  people  who  disobey  these  laws  are 
called  criminals.  Then,  there  are  other  laws  which  regu- 
late business  affairs,  providing  ways  for  collecting  debts, 
for  making  a  record  of  the  sale  of  land,  and  the  like. 
And  still  other  laws  determine  what  public  officers,  like 
policemen  and  judges,  there  shall  be,  and  what  shall  be 
their  powers  and  duties. 

6.  Now,  all  these  laws  have  to  be  made  by  somebody,  and 
it  is  very  important  that  we  should  understand  just  wdio  it 
is  that  has  the  right  to  make  rules  which  everybody  is 
hound  to  obey.  The  rules  of  a  school  are  made  by  the 
teacher.  Hut  they  are  intended  only  for  the  boys  and  girls 
in  the  school.  The  laws  of  the  United  States  should  be 
obeyed  by  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  land. 

7.  In  Russia  the  laws  are  made  by  the  tsar.  To  be  sure, 
as  we  said  before,  he  has  a  body  of  men  to  advise  him 
what  laws  to  make.  But  he  is  not  bound  to  take  their 
advice,  and,  in  any  case,  what  they  suggest  is  not  law 
unless  the  tsar  makes  it  so.  He  is  the  law-maker.  This 
is  putting  a  vast  responsibility  on  a  single  man — a  respon- 
sibility which  he  is  very  apt  to  lessen  by  usually  taking  the 
advice  of  his  courtiers.  But  the  government  of  Russia 
is  an  absolute  monarchy. 

8.  There  are  some  countries  in  which  all  the  grown  men 
come  together  in  a  mass  meeting  to  decide  what  the  laws 
shall  be.  This  is  done  in  a  few  of  the  cantons  of  the  Swiss 
republic.  It  is  done  in  the  towns  of  some  of  our  States. 
the  town  meeting,  of  course,  not  making  all  the  laws,  but 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

merely  their  own  local  town  laws.  This  sorl  of  law-making 
is  just  the  opposite  of  an  absolute  monarchy,  and  is  called 
a  pure  democracy.  Ii  works  verj  well  where  there  are  not 
many  people,  and  where  the  countrj  i-  no1  too  large. 

g.  In  a  republic  the  laws  are  usually  made  by  a  body  of 
men  selected  for  thai  purpose  bj  the  people.  This  body 
of  men  ie  railed  a  legislature.     Its  members  are  generally 

elected  for  a  few r  years  Only,  so  that  if  they  do  nut  please 
the  people  others  can  be  chosen  in  their  place.  In  a  large 
country  it  is  not  convenient  for  all  the  people  to  come 
together  to  make  laws.  So  the  next  best  thing  is  for  the 
people  to  choose  a  small  number  of  men  who  shall  carry 
out  the  popular  will. 

10.  In  a  country  which  is  a  monarchy,  hut  in  which  the 
monarch  has  nut  the  absolute  power,  as  he  has  in  Russia, 
the  legislature  commonly  consists  partly  of  men  elected 
by  the  people,  partly  of  the  aristocrats,  and  partly  of  the 
monarch  himself.  Bui  as  the  monarch  and  the  aristocrats 
hold  their  place  without  regard  to  the  popular  will,  it  is 
dear  that  in   such  a  country  the  people  cannot   always  gel 

such  laws    made  as    they  want.      However,    on  tl ther 

hand,  the  monarch  and  the  aristocrats  cannol  make  such 
laws  as  ihe\  want  unless  the  representatives  of  the  people 
consent. 

ii.  Why  Laws  are  Necessary. — Without  laws  we 
could  not  live  in  any  sort  of  comfort.  In  every  commu- 
nity there  are  s e  people  so  selfish  and  vicious  that  they 

are  always  ready  to  injure  others  if  they  can.  They  are 
perfectly  willing  to  steal,  to  destroy  what  the)  do  not 
want,  to  injure   or  even    to   kill   any  one   who  arouses    their 


40  THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 

anger.  Even  in  countries  where  the  laws  are  strict  and 
well  enforced  there  are  such  criminals.  We  often  read  in 
the  newspapers  of  burglaries  and  arson  and  even  of  mur- 
der. But  if  there  were  no  laws,  no  courts,  and  no  police, 
we  may  be  very  sure  that  stealing  and  violence  would  be 
greatly  multiplied.  Everybody  would  have  to  protect  him- 
self as  well  as  he  could.  But  no  one  could  do  this  so  well 
as  is  now  done  by  the  law.  So  that  if  we  should  be  even 
for  a  short  time  without  the  protection  of  the  law  and 
government,  everybody  except  criminals  would  be  very 
glad  to  see  it  restored. 

12.  Of  course,  people  who  are  in  the  habit  of  breaking 
the  law,  hoping  that  they  may  not  be  caught,  would  be 
very  glad  if  there  were  no  laws  and  no  police.  As  the  old 
rhyme  runs  : 

"  No  man  e'er  felt  the  halter  draw, 
With  good  opinion  of  the  law." 

But  people  who  are  not  thieves  have  a  very  different 
opinion. 

13.  This  is  reason  enough  for  having  laws  and  officers  to 
enforce  them.  There  are  many  other  reasons  also,  which 
need  not  be  explained  here.  We  often  hear  of  "uncivil- 
ized" countries,  and  we  call  ours  highly  civilized.  One  of 
the- most  important  differences  between  the  two  is  that 
civilized  countries  are  under  a  good  system  of  laws,  and 
that  in  them  life  and  property  are  safe.  If  one  should  go 
to  an  uncivilized  country,  like  some  lands  in  Africa,  he 
would  have  to  be  ready  to  defend  both  his  life  and  his 
property    with    deadly    weapons,      He    would  be  likely    to 


THE    YOUNO    AMERh  .1  \  11 

carry  a  rifle  and  revolvers  wherever  he  should  Lr'>.  Bui  a 
merchant  in  an  American  city  or  village  does  aol  have  to 
carry  these  weapons.  Thai  is  because  our  country  \~  a 
land  of  law.  and  Africa  is  not. 

14.  John  C.  Calhoun. — lohn  Caldwell  Calhoun  was  a 
greal  statesman  of  Smith  Carolina.  He  was  born  in  that 
state  in  1782,  and  died  in  the  city  of  Washington  in  1850. 
For  forty  years  he  was  active  in  public  life,  as  representa- 
tive in  congress,  senator,  secretary  of  war.  secretary  of 
state,  ami  vice-presidenl  of  the  [Jnited  Mate-.  He  was 
one  of  the  greal  orator-  of  the  senate  when  that  body  was 
distinguished  for  its  ability.  Calhoun,  (lay.  and  Webster 
were  its  intellectual  giants.  The  following  extract  is  from 
one  of  his  speeches  : 

The  Necessity  of  Government 

Society  can  no  more  exist  without  government,  in  some  form 
or  other,  than  man  without  society.  The  political,  then,  is 
man's  natural  state.  It  is  the  one  for  which  his  (  Yea  tor  formed 
him.  into  which  he  is  impelled  irresistibly,  and  the  only  one  in 
which  his  race  c,- m  exist  and  all  his  faculties  lie  fully  developed. 

It  follows  that  even  the  worst  form  of  government  i>  better 
than  anarchy  :  and  lli.it  individual  liberty  or  freedom  must  be 
subordinate  to  whatever  power  may  be  necessary  to  proteel 
society  against  anarchy  within  or  destruction  without. 

.lust  in  proportion  as  a  | pie  are  ignorant,  stupid,  debased, 

corrupt,  exposed  to  violence  within  and  dangers  without,  the 

power  ;essary   for  governmenl   to  possess,   in  order  to  pre 

serve  society  against  anarchy  and  destruction,  becomes  greater 
and  greater,  and  individual  liberty  less  and  less,  until  the  low 
est    condition    is    reached,    when    absolute   anil    despotic    power 


42  TllH    YOCNO   AMERICAN 

becomes  necessary  on  the  part  of  the  government,  and  individ- 
ual liberty  becomes  extinct. 

So,  on  the  contrary,  just  as  a  people  rise  in  the  scale  of  intel- 
ligence, virtue,  and  patriotism,  and  the  more  perfectly  they 
become  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  government,  the  ends  for 
which  it  was  ordered,  and  how  it  ought  to  be  administered,  the 
1  tower  necessary  for  government  becomes  less  and  less,  and 
individual  liberty  greater  and  greater. 


CHAPTER    IV 

What  We  Mean  by  Government 

i.  Law  and  Government.— \\V  have  Been  thai  a  com- 
munity could  not  be  peaceful  and  orderly  unless  there 
were  law  to  regulate  conduct.  Bui  we  h;i\e  ;d-o  seen  that 
in  a  large  community  all  the  people  cannot   come  together 

to  decide  what  the  laws  shall  he.  and  it  becomes  necessary 
for  a  small  body  of  men  to  he  selected  as  a  legislature. 
Then,  when  the  laws  are  made,  it  is  also  necessary  to  see 
that  they  are  obeyed.  For  this  purpose  the  people  select 
other  men.  like  the  policemen  in  cities  and  the  constables 
in  villages.  However,  it  is  not  always  exactly  plain  just 
what  the  law  means  in  every  case,  nor  is  it  always  sure 
that  a  man  whom  the  police  may  arrest  on  the  charge  of 
committing  some  crime  is  really  guilty.  So  the  people 
select  other  men  whose  duty  it  is  to  decide  what  the  laws 
mean  and  whether  accused  people  are  actually  guilty. 
These  men  are  usually  called  judges.  And  the  whole  body 
of  men  selected  for  these  three  kinds  of  duties,  making 
laws,  seeing  that  the  laws  are  obeyed,  and  deciding  what 
the  laws  mean,  are  called   Uir  government. 

2.  The  Two  Houses  of  the  Legislature. —  Making 
laws  requires  very  much  care,  knowledge,  ami  good  judg- 
ment. The  men  selected  for  that  purpose  oughl  to  be  very 
intelligent  and  very  honest.      Hut,  even  then  mistakes  may 


44  THE    YOUNG   AMERICA  X 

be  made.  In  order  that  these  mistakes  may  be  as  few  as 
possible,  nearly  all  legislatures  are  divided  into  two  sepa- 
rate bodies,  usually  called  houses.  One  is  commonly  called 
the  upper  house  and  the  other  the  lower  house. 

3.  House  is  certainly  an  odd  name  to  give  to  a  body  of 
men.  But  if  we  remember  that  the  word  is  used  in  this 
meaning,  as  well  as  applying  to  a  building,  we  shall  have 
no  trouble. 

4.  The  Number  in  Each  House — The  number  of  men 
in  the  two  houses  differs  in  different  countries.  In  the 
upper  house  of  the  British  legislature  there  are  nearly  GOO 
members  and  in  the  lower  house  nearly  700.  In  our 
American  national  legislature  we  have  only  90  in  the  upper 
house  and  357  in  the  lower  house. 

5.  How  Laws  are  Made. — If  any  member  of  the  legis- 
lature thinks  that  there  ought  to  be  a  law  of  a  certain  kind, 
he  writes  it  out  and  proposes  it  at  a  meeting  of  the  house 
to  which  he  belongs.  In  this  form  it  is  called  a  bill. 
This  bill  is  then  usually  sent  to  a  committee — a  small  group 
of  members  who  talk  the  bill  over  and  report  their  opin- 
ion of  it  to  the  house.  Then  it  is  talked  over  in  the  house, 
all  the  arguments  for  it  and  against  it  being  pretty  apt  to 
be  thought  of  by  somebody.  This  talk  is  called  a  debute. 
After  the  bill  has  been  thoroughly  examined  and  debated, 
the  house  take  a  vote,  all  members  who  favor  the  bill  vot- 
ing aye,  and  those  opposed  to  it  voting  no.  If  there  are 
more  ayes  than  noes  the  bill  is  said  to  have  passed  that 
house.  Then  it  goes  to  the  other  house,  where  again  it  is 
proposed,  debated,  and  voted  upon.  But  unless  it  passes 
this  house  also,  the  bill  cannot  become  a  law. 


THE    WUNO   AMERICAN  15 

6.  It  is  easy  now  to  see  the  advantage  of  haying  two 
houses  in  ;i  Legislature.  As  everj  bill  has  to  be  debated 
and  voted  <m  by  two  different  sets  of  men,  ii  can  seldom  be 
passed  through  both  bodies  in  too  great  a  hurry  for  some 
one  to  find  oul  its  faults.  So  we  are  much  less  likely  to  get 
careless  and  bad  laws  than  if  the  Legislature  had  only  one 

house. 

7.  The  Administration. — We  have  said  that  after  a 
law  is  made  it  is  uecessary  to  have  a  number  of  public 
officers  whose  duty  is  to  see  that  it  is  obeyed. 

8.  Ina  republic  the  bighesl  of  these  officers  we  usually 
eall  the  president.  Tin-  presidenl  of  the  I'liited  States  has 
under  his  authority  a  very  Large  uumbor  of  other  officers, 
all  of  whom  are  husy  in  carrying  out  the  laws  made  by  the 
national  legislature.  These  officers,  from  the  president 
down,  are  called  the  administration,  or  the  administrative 
officers.  The  president  is  the  head  of  the  administration. 
In  a  monarchy  the  head  of  the  administration  is  usually 
called  a  king,  or  an  emperor. 

9.  How  the  President  Shares  in  Making  Laws. — In 
our  republic  the  president  is  not  merely  the  head  of  the 
administration.  He  also  has  something  to  do  with  making 
laws. 

10.  As  lie  sees  how  all  the  laws  work  and  so  can  easily 
learn  what  is  needed,  it  is  his  duty  to  advise  the  Legislature 
from  time  to  time  what  laws  he  thinks  ought  to  be 
made 

11.  Then,  when  a  hill  has  been  voted  by  both  houses, 
before  it  can  become  a  law  it  is  sent  to  the  President.  If 
he  approves   it.  the   hill  at  once   heroines  a  law.      But  if  he 


46  THE    TOUNQ    AMERICAN 

thinks  it  ought  not  to  be  a  law,  lie  sends  it  back  to  the  legis- 
lature with  his  objections.  This  is  called  a  veto  of  the  bill. 
Then  the  bill  has  to  be  debated  and  voted  on  all  over  again. 
And  it  cannot  be  a  law  unless  two-thirds  of  both  houses 
vote  for  it. 

12.  The  Courts — In  every  well-governed  country  some 
men  are   selected  to  decide  what  the  law  means.     These 
men  are  called  judges.     But,  besides  the  judges  we  have 
another  set  of  men  selected  every  time  a  man  is  accused  of 
breaking  the  law,  or  when  two  men  dispute  about  property 
and    cannot  settle  their  disagreement    themselves.       This 
other  set  of  men  is  called  a  jury,  and  their  duty  is  to  decide 
on  the  facts  in  dispute.     That  is,  they  decide  whether  the 
a i ■cused  person  really  has  broken  the  law.  or,  in  case  of  a 
dispute  between  two  men,  the  jury  decides  what  actually 
happened.     Then  the  judge  explains  the  law.     The  judge 
and  jury  together  form  what  is  called  a  court.     Sometimes 
there  are  no  facts  in  dispute.     Then  the  jury  is  omitted, 
and  the  judge  alone  is  still  called  a  court.     And  in  some 
courts   there   are   several    judges    instead    of    one.       The 
method  in  which  a  court  proceeds  is  pointed  out  in  Chap- 
ter XIII  (p.  180). 

13.  The  Government — Thus  we  see  that  there  are 
three  sets  of  officers  busy  in  managing  public  affairs. 
And,  as  we  said  before,  these  three  sets,  taken  together, 
form  the  government.  A  country  which  has  a  good  gov- 
ernment has  good  laws  and  good  men  to  do  the  public 
business.  A  country  which  has  a  bad  government  has  bad 
laws,  or  bad  men  as  officers,  or  both. 

14.  The   government  of   our   republic    is   made   by  the 


THE    70UN0    AMERICAN  W 

people.     All    its  officers  are  either  chosen    by  the  people 
or  are  appointed   by  others  who  are  thus  chosen. 

15.  That  being  the  case,  we  see  al  once  how  importanl  it 
is  that  everybody  should  understand  what  sorl  of  Laws  we 
have  and  what  officers  arc  selected  to  attend  to  the  public 
business.  It  is  a  common  saying  that  ••  What  is  every- 
body's business  is  nobody's  business/'  That  oughl  not  to 
be  true  in  our  republic,  for  with  us  it  certainly  is  every- 
hody's  husincss  to  sec  to  it  that  we  have  a  good  govern- 
ment. Bui  aobody  can  do  Ins  share  if  he  is  ignorant. 
Ignorance  may  do  in  a  monarchy.  It  has  no  place  in  a 
republic. 


CHAPTER    V 

How   the   People   of  Europe    Found   America  and 
Came  to  Live  in  It 

I.  Columbus. — Christopher  Columbus  was  an  Italian 
wlio  lived  some  four  hundred  years  ago,  and  who  had  what 
seemed  to  many  people  of  his  time  a  very  queer  notion. 
He  believed  that  the  earth  was  round,  and  that  he  could 


''ill    MBUS    EMBARKING   AT   l'ALOS,    SPAIN,    FOR  HIS   VOYACiE   OF   DISCOVERY,  1492 


prove  it  by  sailing  around  it.  The  common  idea  at  that 
time  was  that  the  world  was  flat  ;  and  even  those  intelli- 
gent men  who  did  not  think  so  were  not  at  all  sure  that 
it  would  be  safe  or  possible  to  make  the  voyage.  But 
Columbus  was  determined  to  try,  and  at  last  succeeded  in 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  18 

persuading  the  King  and  Queen  of  Spain  to  lei  him  have 
three  small  vessels  for  the  experiment.  With  these  the 
daring  Italian  boldly  steered   wesi   across  the  Atlantic. 

2.  What  Columbus  Wanted. —  It  was  qo1  merely  the 
shape  of  the  earth  which  was  in  question.  From  the 
eastern  pari  of  Asia,  known  as  India,  very  valuable  articles 
came  to  Europe — silks  and  spices  and  precious  stones. 
Bui  the  overland  route  across  A-ia  was  slow  and  expensive 
and  infested  with  robbers.  So  it'  a  direct  water  route 
could  be  found  from  Europe  to  India  and  China  it  would 
be  a  greai  thing  for  the  European  countries.  Columbus 
knew  nothing  about  the  American  continent,  and  thoughl 
that  by  sailing  west  he  would  conic  righi  to  the  Indian 
coast.  Therefore  when,  on  an  October  day  in  L492,  after 
sailing  for  many  days,  he  found  a  number  of  islands,  he  at 
once  thought  them  a  pari  of  India.  The  red  men  who 
came  wondering  to  the  beach  to  see  the  strange  vessels  and 
their  yet  more  strange  pale-faced  crews.  Columbus  called 
Indians.  And  the  islands  which  he  Found  are  called  the 
Wesi    Indie-    to   this   day. 

3.  Excitement  in  Europe. —  This  discovery  by  Colum- 
bus that  there  was  land  across  the  ocean  caused  greai 
excitement  in  Europe.  The  King  of  Spain  claimed  all 
the  "  new  world."  as  it  was  called,  because  it  was  in  Span- 
ish ships  thai  the  voyage  of  discovery  had  been  made. 
But  many  eager  voyagers  of  other  nations — Portuguese, 
Frenchmen,  Dutchmen,  Englishmen — paid  no  attention  to 
the  Spanish  claim,  and  sailed  away  to  see  what  they.  too. 
could  find.  They  found  many  things— unknown  shores, 
greai  rivers  and  hays.     Everywhere  vasi  forests  came  down 

4 


50  T1TK    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 

to  the  beach.     And  everywhere  the  native  people  were  the 

red   men — the    '"  Indians.*' 

4.  Europeans  Come  to  Live  in  America. —  When  it 
was  found  that  the  new  world  was  a  good  place  for  homes, 
many  people  came  over  from  Europe  and  settled  along  the 
coasts.  The  Spaniards  had  the  West  India  Islands,  and 
Mexico,  and  Central  America,  and  nearly  all  of  South 
America.  The  Portuguese  had  Brazil.  The  French 
made  homes  in  Canada,  along  the  great  lakes  and  at 
New  Orleans.  The  Dutch  settled  on  what  they  called 
Manhattan  Island  :  New  Amsterdam  was  the  name  they 
gave  their  little  town.  It  is  now  New  York.  The 
English  came  to  live  in  many  places  on  the  Atlantic 
coast  from  Maine  to  Florida.  They  took  New  Amster- 
dam away  from  the  Dutch  in  one  of  their  wars,  and 
thus  with  that,  and  with  Delaware,  which  was  first  settled 
by  Swedes,  the  English  had  the  thirteen  colonies  which 
afterwards  broke  away  from  under  the  British  government 
and  became  the  United  States  of  America. 

5.  How  the  Colonists  Lived — The  early  settlers  in  the 
American  wilderness  did  not  have  an  easy  time.  They 
could  not  bring  many  comforts  with  them,  as  the  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic  was  slow,  tedious,  and  expensive.  In 
those  times  it  took  several  weeks  to  cross  the  ocean.  A 
living  was  made  usually  by  farming.  The  trees  had  to  be 
cleared  away,  and  then  Indian  corn  and  other  crops  were 
planted.  There  was  little  money  to  be  had,  and  few 
things  to  buy  with  it.  At  one  time  dried  codfish  were 
used  as  money  in  Massachusetts.  The  Indians  were  often 
unfriendly,  and  incessant  Indian  wars  fill  the  history  of  the 


THE    rOUNQ  AMERICAN 


51 


times.  An  Indian  war  was  very  dreadful,  as  the  -a\.-.. 
killed  with  the  greatest  cruelty  ad  whom  they  could. 
They  would  hide  in  the  Bhelter  of  tin-  woods,  and  when  tin- 
attack  was  least  expected  would  rush  from  their  hiding 
places,  set  lire  t<>  the  settler's  house,  and  murder  men. 
women,  and  children  as  they  ran  screaming  from  the 
flames.  The  Indian,  too.  had  a  hideous  habil  of  cutting 
and  tearing  the  scalp  from  the  head  of  his  victim,  keeping 

it  as  a   hi Iv  trophy 

of   his  success. 

6.  The  Colonists 
Succeed. —  Hut  the 
colonists  were  brave 
and  persevering,  and 
so,  in  spite  of  poverty 
and  hard  work  and 
sickness  and  war.  t  hey 
succeeded  in  building 
up  thrivi  ng  settle- 
ments. It  was  more 
than  a  hundred  year- 
after  ( 'oluinhiis  found  the  new  world  before  the  first  Eng- 
lishmen came  to  live  in  America,  at  Jamestown,  in  Vir- 
ginia. And  it  was  less  than  two  hundred  years  after  this 
settlement  was  made,  that  the  thirteen  English  colonies 
became  an   independent    republic. 

7.  Why  the  Colonies  Were  Separate. — When  the 
people  of  Europe  came  over  to  America  to  make  their 
homes  the\  came  in  companies  at  different  times  and 
Bettled  at  different   places.     Usually  each  settlement   had 


THE  PINTA 

t  >ne  of  the  tiny  vessels  in  which  Columbus  crossed 
ill.-  Atlantic  in  1492 


•VJ 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 


to  have   a    local  government  of  its  own,  as  the   different 

settlements  were  too  far  apart  to  be  managed  by  one  gov- 
ernment.    Then,  too,  the  companies  of  settlers  were  often 


■  ■    I 

- 

■"V  .: 


0    tHv     *     ^**5P^&g** 


SETTLERS    ATTACKED    BY    INDIANS 


such  us  wanted  to  have  the  management  of  their  own 
a  Hairs.  The  colonies  in  New  England,  especially  Massa- 
chusetts and  Connecticut,  were  settled  by  English  people 
who  were  not  allowed   at    home   to  worship  God   in  the  way 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN  58 

which  they  preferred.  So  they  came  to  the  wilderness  for 
religious  liberty.  A.  similar  purpose  took  the  Baptists  to 
Rhode  Island,  the  Quakers  to  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Roman 
Catholics  to  Maryland.  .Many  of  the  settlers  of  Virginia 
and  South  Carolina  were  Episcopalians.  It  is  plain  enough 
that  people  of  these  different  religious  ideas  would  wani  to 
be  free  from  interference.  So  they  lived  apart  in  their 
various  colonies,  each  with  its  own  local  government,  and 
all  obeying  the    British   government    at    London. 

The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  in  New 

England 

Mrs.    Hi  mans* 

"Look  now  abroad  !     Another  race  bas  filled 

These  populous  borders — wide  the  world  recedes, 
And  towns  shoot  up,  and  fertile  realms  arc  tilled  : 
'I'hc  land  is  full  of   harvests  ami  green  meads.*' 

— Bryant. 
Tiik  breaking  waves  dashed  hisrh 

(  )m  a  stern  and  rock-bound  const. 

Ami  the  W Is  against  a  stormy  sky 

Their  giant  branches  tossed  ; 

And  the  heavy  night  hung  dark 

The  lulls  and  waters  o'er. 
When  a  band  of  exiles  moored  their  bark 

On  the  wild  New    England  shore. 

Not  as  the  conqueror  comes. 

They,  the  true  hearted,  came. 
Not  with  the  roll  of  the  stirring  drums. 

And  the  trumpet  that  singS  of   fame  ; 

*  Felicia  Dorothea  Hemans  was  an  English  lady  who  died  in  1835.    Some  <>(  her 
poems  are  \<w  beautiful. 


.-.-1 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


Not  as  the  flying1  come, 

In  silence  and  in  fear  ; — 
They  shook  the  depths  of  the  desert  gloom 

With  their  hymns  of  lofty  cheer. 

Amidst  the  storm  tbey  sang, 

And  the  stars  heard  and  the  sea  ; 
And  the  sounding  aisles  of  the  dim  woods  rang 

To  the  anthem  of  the  free  ! 


LANDING    OF    THE   PILGRIMS,  1020 

The  fust  Kutrli^h  settlers  north  of  Virginia  were  the  "  Pilgrims  "—people  who  left 
their  native  land  in  order  to  secure  liberty  of  religion.  They  landed  on  the  coast  of 
Massachusetts  in  December,  1020.  Their  settlement  they  called  "  Plymouth,"  from  the 
port  of  that  name  in  England  from  which  they  had  sailed. 


The  ocean  eagle  soared 

From  his  nest  by  the  white  wave's  foam, 
And  the  rocking  pines  of  the  forest  roared — 

This  was  their  welcome  home  ! 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  56 

There  were  men  with  hoary  hair. 

Amidst  thai  pilgrim-hand  ;— 
Why  had  they  come  t<>  wither  there 

Away  from  their  childhood's  land  I 

There  was  woman's  fearless  eye, 

Lit  by  her  deep  love's  truth  ; 
There  was  manhood's  brow  serenelj  high, 

And  the  fiery  heari  of  youth. 

Whal  soughl  they  thus  afar? — 

Brighl  jewels  of  the  mine  : 
The  wealth  of  sens,  the  spoils  of  war  '. — 
They  soughl  a  faith's  pure  shrine  ! 

Ay.  call  it  lmly  ground, 

The  soil  where  lirst  they  trod  ! 
They  have  left  unstained  what  there  they  found 

Freedom  to  worship  (rod  ! 

8.  Why    the    Colonies    United. — When    the    colonies 
began  to  oppose  the  acts  of  the  British  government,  they 

had  to  unite.  In  L765  a  colonial co ngress  met  at  New  York 
to  discuss  a  British  Law  for  taxing  the  colonies.  The  colo- 
nists had  had  QO  share  in  making  this  law.  and  therefore 
they  though!  it  unjust.  This  congress  consisted  of  a  few 
delegates  from  each  of  nine  colonies  -four  of  the  thirteen 
-cut  do  delegates-  and  simply  adopted  resolutions  express- 
ing their  reasons  for  opposing  the  law.  In  a  shorl  time 
the  British  governmenl  repealed  the  Law. 

9.  A  few  years  later  another  attempi  was  made  to  tax  the 
colonists  without  their  consent.      This  attempt  was  resisted 


56  TEE    YOUXG    AMEHICAS 

as  vigorously  as  was  the  first,  and  in  L774  a  second  congress 
of  the  colonies  met  at  Philadelphia  to  talk  the  matter  over. 
They  adopted  strong  resolutions  against  the  tax  laws, 
commended  the  resistance  of  the  people  to  the  collection  of 
the  taxes,  and  finally,  before  going  home,  called  a  third 
congress  to  meet  in  the  following  spring.  Twelve  of  the 
colonies— all  but  Georgia — had  delegates  in  this  second 
congress. 

10.  The  third  congress  of  the  colonies  met  at  Phila- 
delphia in  May,  1775,  and  found  that  war  had  already 
begun  between  the  colonies  and  the  British  government 
(p.  G5).  All  the  thirteen  were  now  represented  by  their 
delegates.  This  congress  was  a  sort  of  common  govern- 
ment for  the  united  colonies.  Of  course  each  colony  kept 
its  own  government  besides,  but  the  congress  managed  the 
most  important  things  in  the  war.  It  was  this  congress 
which  made  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  which  chose 
George  Washington  commander  of  the  armies,  and  which 
finally  made  peace  with  Great  Britain.  Since  then  we  have 
always  called  our  national  legislature  "congress." 

ii.  How  the  West  Was  Settled — After  the  revolution 
many  people  thought  they  could  do  better  by  going  farther 
west  to  live,  in  the  wilderness  which  had  not  yet  been 
cleared.  So  they  went  across  the  Alleghany  Mountains 
and  made  their  homes  on  both  sides  of  the  Ohio  River. 
They  had  the  same  hard  life  as  the  first  colonists  on  the 
Atlantic  coast,  living  in  log  cabins,  raising  corn  and  hogs, 
and  shooting  wild  beasts.  Bears,  deer,  buffalo,  wild  tur- 
keys, and  other  game  were  abundant  in  the  woods,  so  it 
was  easy  for  these  skilful  hunters  to  find  food.      They  used 


THE  AMERICAN  LINER  STL0UIS.I897 


/'///</   YOUNQ    i  \fERTCAN 


A 


a  very  long  rifle  with  a  very  small  bullet,  and  were  dead 
-huts.  Wilder  than  the  bears  ami  panthers,  however, 
were  the  fierce  [ndians.  Many  of  tin-  settlers  ami  their 
families     were     killed     ami 

scalped,  ami  many  of  the 
Indians  too  were  killed.      So 

savage  was  the  fighting  in 
Kentucky  that  that  stale 
in  its  early  days  was  called 
"the  dark  and  bloodj 
ground."  lint  the  Indians 
were  gradually  pushed  far- 
ther  west.      The  WOOds  Were 

cleared •  off,   more  and  more 

settlers  came  from  the  easl 
ami  from  Europe,  and  so 
many  people  in  t  he  end  came 
to  live  in  t  he  wesl  t  hat .  as 
we  ha\  e  seen,  a  long  li-t  of 
states,  one  after  another, 
was  added  to  "  the  old  thir- 
teen.'* After  railroad-  were 
Imilt  and  steamboats  were 
|nit  on  i  he  rivers  and  lakes. 
the  crowd  of  immigrants  be- 

T11K    PUK1TAM    COLONIST 

came     very    great.       Cities 

Man;  of  the  early  settlers  in  N<- 
have  grown  so  fast   as  almost       land  came  to  the  new  world  tor  religions 
,        ,i         .1         ,  ,  liberty.    They  disapproved  many  practices 

fc0    take     the     l,,v:"1'     ;1U;IV-      of  .1,,  Church  of    England,   which  the, 

Chicago    has  Over  a     million      uM"''1  "'  "P""*  ■  "     Hence  they  were 

called    Puritans.      The    picture    i-  from 
Of  people.       When    the    revo-      Ward's  statue  in  Central  Park,  New  York. 


58 


THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 


lutionary  war  was  ended  the  place  where  the  great  city 
now  stands  was  a  swamp,  inhabited  mostly  hy  wild  ducks. 
In  1837,  when  the  village  which  grew  up  by  the  lake  be- 
came a  city,  there  were  3,000  inhabitants.  And  so  the 
republic  has  filled  with  people.  There  were  only  3,000,- 
(>()()  in   all   the  thirteen   States  at  the  time  of  the  revolu- 


I'l'UITANS    GOING    TO    CHURCH.      (FROM    BOUGHTON'S    WELL-KNOWN    PAINTING.) 


tion.     Now  our  forty-five  states  have  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
70,000,000. 

12.  James  Schouler. — James  Schouler  has  written  a 
history  of  the  United  States  in  five  volumes,  which  gives 
an  excellent  picture  of  the  growth  of  the  republic  from 
the  formation  of  the  Constitution  to  the  breaking  out 
of  the  civil  war.  The  selection  gives  a  vivid  picture  of 
an  event  which  produced  great  excitement  at  the  time, 
and  which  led  to  a  marvelously  rapid  immigration  to 
( 'alifornia. 


THE    TOUNQ   AMERICAN  59 

The    Discovery    of  Gold   in   California 

James  Schoi  leb 

Some  miles  above  Sutter's  fort,  on  the  American  fork  of  the 
Sacramento.  a  saw-mill  was  in  course  of  erection  for  turning 
some  pine  forests  near  by  into  Lumber.  Marshall,  with  a  gang 
of  workmen,  comprising  native  Indians  and  a  few  white  RIor 
mons,  was  engaged  upon  the  work.  While  widening  and 
deepening  the  channel,  where  water  was  lei  on  to  run  the  mill, 
yellow  particles  were  brought  down  by  night,  mingled  with  tin- 
loose  mud  and  gravel,  which  Marshall  discovered  as  he  saiin 
tered  alonjr  the  tailrace  in  the  morning.  Suspecting  the  truth, 
which  was  confirmed  by  another  night's  sluicing,  he  gathered 
some  of  the  glittering  grains  in  his  pouch,  and  rode  down  the 
stream  to  Captain  Sutter,  dismounting al  the  tort  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  2sth.*  Sutter  weighed  the  ore,  applied  such  tests 
of  science  as  he  could  command,  ransacked  his  Little  library 
upon  the  subject,  and  pronounced  the  substance  gold.  From 
that  moment  the  news  of  the  discovery  spread,  and  nun's 
minds  were  turned  in  his  little  kingdom  from  saw-nulls,  flour- 
mills,  herds.  Hocks,  and  all  thai  humbler  property  which  hith- 
erto had  absorbed  his  thoughts  and  theirs,  and.  to  quote  Sutter's 

own  expressive  phrase,     forhecould  not  ride  luck  firmly  ata 
break-neck  speed,     the  curse  of  the  discovery  was  on  him. 

Neither  Slitter  nor  Marshall  could  profil  by  nature'^  confi- 
dence. They  agreed  to  keep  the  secrel  to  themselves  ;  and  a 
Mexican  "/rant  heing  of  course  out  of  the  question  by  that  time. 
Sutter  procured  a  lease  of  this  region  from  the  Indian  nativ 
and  then  undertook  the  more  difficult  affair  of  procuring  title 
from  the  United  States.  Colonel  Mason,  the  American  com- 
mandant  at    Monterey,   could    idve    no   document  ;  and   SO   far 

*  Jannarj  88,  1848. 


60  Tin:    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 

from  guarding  their  joint  secret,  Sutter  and  his  unwary  con- 
tractor managed  to  send  the  news  far  and  wide,  which  their 
humble  workmen  on  the  stream  had  wit  enough  to  ascertain 
very  quickly.  Sutter's  saw-mill  stood  unfinished,  as  hundreds 
and  thousands  of  laborers  pushed  by  for  more  congenial  work. 
Within  four  months  of  the  lirst  discovery  over  four  thousand 
persons  were  about  the  Sacramento,  working  as  if  for  dear  life, 
dwelling  in  coarse  canvas  tents  and  huts,  and  coaxing  fortune 
with  the  rudest  implements.  Some  with  howls,  pans,  and 
willow  baskets  were  seen  washing  out  the  gravel  and  sepa- 
rating the  shining  atoms  by  the  hand  ;  others  worked  with  the 
pick  and  shovel  ;  while  some,  the  luckiest  of  the  lot,  found 
places  where  they  could  pick  gold  out  of  crevices  in  the  moun- 
tain rocks  with  their  butcher  knives,  as  they  lay  upon  their 
backs,  in  pieces  which  weighed  from  one  to  six  ounces. 

Fleets  of  launches,  from  the  sloop  to  the  cockleshell,  left  San 
Francisco  in  early  May  for  the  Sacramento  saw-mill  region, 
and  the  town  was  nearly  stripped  of  its  male  population  in 
course  of  the  summer.  Soon  the  whole  country,  from  San 
Francisco  to  Los  Angeles,  and  from  the  seashore  to  the  base  of 
the  mountains,  echoed  the  cry  of  "Gold,  gold,  gold  !"  The 
house  was  left  half-built,  the  field  half -planted  ;  women  looked 
after  the  shop.  Foreign  vessels  began  to  arrive;  but  before 
tiny  could  unload,  their  crews  deserted  for  the  "diggings." 
Mexicans,  scarcely  less  than  Americans,  caught  the  gold  fever, 
and  joined  in  the  headlong  rush  for  riches.  And  quickly  as 
sails  or  steam  could  hear  the  tidings  to  different  points  of  the 
compass,  adventurers  hastened  from  China,  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  from  Australia,  and  from  the  whole  Pacific  coast 
between  Vancouver's  Island  and  Valparaiso. 


CHAPTER  VI 
National  Independence 

1.  The  Fourth  of  July — The  Fourth  of  July  is  ^mil- 
iar to  every  school-bo^  as  the  national  holiday.  Fire- 
crackers and  torpedoes,  sky-rockets  and  Roman  candles, 
the  booming  of  cannon,  the  pomp  of  military  parade, 
and  often  a  public  meeting  which  listens  to  patriotic 
songs  and  speeches— these  are  the  usual  ways  in  which 
the  day  is  celebrated. 

2.  Why  do  we  keep  this  day  ?  Because  it  was  or  the 
Fourth  of  July,  L776,  thai  the  representatives  of  the  Amer- 
ican people  adopted  a  solemn  declaration  that  they  would 
no  Longer  obey  the  governmenl  of  Greal  Britain,  hut  that 
t  hereafter  t  hey  would  ha\  e  t  heir  own  governmenl  and  make 
their  own  laws.  This  was  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
Ami  the  Fourth  of  July  accordingly  is  often  called  Inde- 
pendence Day. 

3.  What  Independence  Means. — If  the  people  of  one 
country  have  to  obey  the  governmenl  of  some  other,  then 
we  say  that  the  first  country  is  dependent  on  the  second. 
1  >u i .  on  the  other  hand,  the  people  of  any  country  are  inde- 
pendent if  they  have  their  own  governmenl  and  do  not  have 
to  obey  any  other. 

4.  There  are  many  independent  nations,  such  as  France, 
Greal    Britain,  Germany,    Russia.    Spain,   in    Europe;  the 


THE    TOUNO    AMERICAN 

United  Slates.  Mexico,  Brazil,  in  America,  and  many  more. 
Each  i>l'  these  bas  a  governmenl  of  its  own,  makes  its  own 
laws,  lias  its  own  flag,  carries  on  its  own  business  quite  as 
ii  pleases;  in  short,  is  completely  independent. 

5.  [f  you  loot  at  the  map  of  North  Ajnerica,  you  will  see 
just  oorth  of  tlic  United  States  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 
Canada  is  not  independent,  like  the  United  Mates.  I»ut 
has  to  obey  the  governmenl  of  Greal  Britain.  Therefore 
Canada  is  a  British  dependency.  Bui  Mexico,  which  lies 
jusl  smith  of  us.  is  independent.  That  was  not  always 
the  case,  as  Mexico  was  once  a  dependency  of  Spain.  Bui 
many  years  ago  the  Mexicans,  like  the  Americans,  declared 
their  independence.  They  bad  to  go  to  war  with  Spain  to 
become  actually  independent.  Hut  they  wcw  notorious, 
and  so  the  Mexicans  no  longer  have  to  obey  the  Spanish 
gO\  eminent. 

6.  How  the  United  States  Became  Independent. — 
It  is  only  a  little  over  a  century  since  our  country  became 
an   independent   republic.      In    L775  thirteen  of  our  states. 


An     \  >i  1  i;i  ■   \s    BlSTORK   u.   PAINTER.     John    Ti  uiiibiill   was   the   son    (if   Jonathan 

Trumbull,  the  revolutionary  governor  of  Connecticut.    The  governor  w  as  a  firm  patriol 

and  a  Btaunch  friend  of  Washington,  wl ften  Bought  his advice,    it  was  the  general's 

custom  to  address  the  governor  as  "  Brother  Jonathan,11  a  term  which  bas  come  into 
jocular  use  as  personifying  the  1  nited  States.  John  was  graduated  at  Harvard  Collie 
in  1773  at  tlic  aire  of  seventeen,  ami  two  years  later  joined  the  revolutionary  army.  Be 
became  an  aid-de-camp  of  Washington,  but  before  the  war  was  ended  resumed  his 
profession  of  art.  After  the  revol  tion  lie  devoted  himself  to  painting  a  great 
-  of  historical  pictures,  for  which  lie  made  elaborate  studies.  "The  P.attle  of 
Bunker  Hill "  was  finished  soon  after  the  war.  He  made  portraits  afterwards  of  the 
great  aet.irs  in  the  revolutionary  struggle,  painting  John  Adams  in  London;  Jeffere 
and  the  French  officers  who  were  engaged  in  the  American  war.  in  Paris,  and  making 
several  portraits  of  Washington.  In  the  rotunda  of  the  national  capitol  he  painted  four 
great  pictures  "The Declaration  of  Independence,"  "The  surrender  of  Burgoyne," 
"The  Surrender  of  Comwallis,11  •■The  Resignation  of  General  Washington.11    The 

work  of  these  f '  took  the  artist  seven  years    fr 1815  to  1822.    The  pictures  are 

Interesting  a-  containing  authentic  portrait-.     Mr.  Trumbull  lived  until  1- 


64 


77/ A'    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


those  along  the  Atlantic   const  from  New  Hampshire  to 
Georgia,  were  colonies  belonging  to  Great  Britain. 

7.  A  colony  is  a  settlement  which  people  have  made  in  a 


Copyright,  1897,  by  A.  W.  Elson  4  Co  ,  Boston 

SAMUEL  ADAMS 

Samuel  Adams,  one  of  the  most  influential  leaders  of  Massachusetts  in  the  revolu- 
tion, was  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence— a  second  cousin  of  President 
John  Adams. 

land  distant  from  their  original  home,  and  which  is  ruled 
by  the  home  government. 

8.  So  these  thirteen  colonies  were  governed  by  the  Brit- 
ish monarchy.  The  most  of  the  people  in  them  were  of 
British  blood — English,  with  sonic  Scotch  and    Irish.      The 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 


65 


rest  of  the  land  now  included  in  our  republic  either  wae 
a  wilderness  inhabited  only  bj    Indiana  and  wild  beasts,  or 

belonged  t"  -Hiiic  other  European  monarchy. 


Copyright,  1887,  by  A    »    Kl-on  4  Co.,  Boston 


BENJ  \MI\    I'i:a\kijn 


Franklin  waa  a  i :  boy  « ho  won  his  way  to  eminence  by  tireless  industry  and  great 

lalentB.    H<  \\ n:-  a  trusted  leader  of  the  patriots  in  the  revolutionary  war ;  was  a  Bigner 

of  the  Declarati t  independence;  was  Benl  as  envoy  to  France,  where  he  was 

received  with  great  respect,  and  was  able  to  induce  thai  nation  to  aid  the  Americans 
against  t.icai  Britain  :  ami  was  a  nifiniicrof  the  convention  which,  in  1787,  drew  up  the 
( lonstitntion  of  the  United  States.     Franklin  died  in  lT'.m,  in  his  eighty-fifth  year. 

9.  But  the  American  colonists,  while  quite  willing  to  be 
a  pari  of  the  British  monarchy  ami  to  be  jjoverned  by 
British  laws,  yet,  after  all,  preferred  to  manage  their  own 
affairs  for  themselves.     And  when  the  British  government 


66 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


tried    to    make     them    pay   taxes    without    their    having 

a  \dicc  in  the  matter,  there  was  trouble.  The  colonists 
refused  to  pay  the  taxes.  The  British  sent  over  soldiers  to 
compel  obedience.  But  the  colonists  resisted  the  soldiers, 
and  so  there  came  to  lie  a  war  between  the  mother  country 
in  Europe  and  her  colonies  in  America.  Tins  was  dragged 
on  for  eight  years.  By  that  time  it  was  clear  that  the 
British  could  not  conquer  the  colonies,  and  peace  was 
made.       In  the  second  year  of  the  war,  July  4,    1776,  .is 

we  have  seen,  the  colonists 
declared  that  they  would  no 
longer  be  a  part  of  the  Brit- 
ish monarchy,  but  that  they 
would  thereafter  be  an  inde- 
pendent nation.  AVhen  the 
peace  was  made,  in  1783,  the 
British  government  gave  up 
the  claim  to  govern  the  colo- 
nies, and  consented  to  their 
independence.  Thus  the 
thirteen  colonies  became  an 
independent  republic  —  the 
United  States  of  America. 
io.  Adams  and  Jefferson. — John  Adams  was  one  of 
the  foremost  patriots  of  our  revolutionary  war.  lie  was 
a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress  (p.  57)  which 
adopted  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  1770,  and 
was  a  member  of  the  committee  appointed  to  draw  up 
that  immortal  document.  Thomas  Jefferson,  another 
member    of    the    committee,    was    the   one    who   actually 


JOHN    ADAMS 

President  of  the  United  States,  1797-1K0J. 


THE    TOUNQ    A  WERIt  AN 


67 


wrote  the  Declaration.  John  Adams  became  presidenl 
of  the  CJnited  States  in  1797,  succeeding  the  first  presi- 
dent, George  Washington  :  and  in  L801  A.dams  in  turn  was 
succeeded  by  Jefferson. 

Adams  and  Jefferson  both  died  on  the  fourth  of  July, 


.  lio.tnii 
THOMAS   .11  Ml  RSOM 


Jefferson  was  the  author  of  the  Declaration  of  independence,  was  secretary  of  state 
onder  Washington,   vice-president  under  President  John  Adams,  and  was  himself 

president  from  lstii  ti>  isn't,    ito  «a<  mil1  of  mi!'  mosl  original  and  versatile  statesmen. 


l 826,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Declaration.  Daniel 
Webster  was  invited  to  deliver  a  commemorative  address 
on  tlif  lives  and  services  of  the  two  patriots,  which  he  did, 
in  Faneuil  Hall.  Boston,  August    ..  L826. 


68  THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

In  the  course  of  this  address  Webster  gave  a  vivid  word- 
picture  of  the  deliberations  of  the  congress,  and  supposed 
Adams  to  have  given  the  following  speech,  although  it  was, 
in  fact,  Webster's  speech  : 

In  Favor  of  a  Declaration  of  Independence 

Daniel  Webster 

Speech  supposed  to  have  been  delivered  by  John  Adams  in  the  Conh 
nental  Congress,  July  7,  1776 

Sink  or  swim,  live  or  die,  survive  or  perish,  I  give  my  hand 
and  my  heart  to  this  vote  !  It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  in  the  be- 
ginning, we  aimed  not  at  independence.  But  there  is  a  Divinity 
which  shapes  our  ends.  The  injustice  of  England  has  driven 
us  to  arms  ;  and,  blinded  to  her  own  interest  for  our  good,  she 
lias  obstinately  persisted,  till  independence  is  now  within  our 
grasp.  We  have  but  to  reach  forth  to  it,  and  it  is  ours.  Why, 
then,  should  we  defer  the  Declaration  ?  Is  any  man  so  weak  as 
now  to  hope  for  a  reconciliation  with  England,  which  shall 
leave  either  safety  to  the  country  and  its  liberties,  or  safety  to 
his  own  life,  and  Ins  own  honor  ?  Are  not  you,  Sir,  who  sit  in 
that  chair, — is  not  he,  our  venerable  colleague  near  you, — are 
not  both  already  the  proscribed  and  predestined  objects  of  pun- 
ishment and  of  vengeance  ?  Cut  off  from  all  hope  of  royal 
clemency,  what  are  you,  what  can  you  be,  while  the  power  of 
England  remains,  but  outlaws  '. 

If  wc  postpone  independence,  do  we  mean  to  carry  on,  or  give 
up,  the  war  ?  Do  we  mean  to  submit  to  the  measures  of  Parlia- 
ment, Boston  port-bill  and  all  ?  Do  we  mean  to  submit,  and 
consent  that  wc  ourselves  shall  be  ground  to  powder,  and  our 
country  and  its  rights  trodden  down  in  the  dust?  I  know  we 
do  not  mean  to  submit.      We  never  shall  submit.     Do  we  intend 


THE    YOXJNQ  .\ui:i;h   \\ 


69 


to  violate  thai  most  sol. •inn  obligation  ever  entered  into  by  men, 
— that  plighting,  before  God,  of  oursacred  bonorto  Washing 
ton.  when,  putting  liini   forth  to  incur  the  dangers  of  war,  as 
well  as  the  political  bazardsof  the  times,  we  promised  to  adhere 
to  him,  in  everj  extremity,  with  our  Fortunes  and  our  lives  : 
I  know  there  is  not  a  man  here   who   would   not   rather  see  a 


9  \N  I  i   II     II  \  II  .    B08T0K 

Tins  famous  old  li.-ill  was  first  iinilt  in  1748  by  Peter  Faneuil,  and  given  i"  the  town. 
It  has  been  called  the  "  Cradle  of  Liberty,"  because  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  :>  patriotii 
ganization,  held  many  meetings  there  in  the  years  jusl  preceding  the  revolution. 

general  conflagration  sweep  over  the  land,  or  an  earthquake  sink 
it,  than  one  jot  or  tittle  of  that  plighted  faith  fall  to  the  ground. 
For  myself,  having  twelve  months  ago,  in  this  place,  moved 
yon  thai  George  Washington  be  appointed  commander  of  the 
forces  raised,  or  to  be  raised,  for  defence  of  American  liberty, 
may  my  righl  hand  forgel  its  cunning,  and  m\  tongue  cleave 
to  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  if  1  hesitate  or  waver  in  the  supporl 


;n  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAS 

I  give  him  !     The  war,  then,  must  go  on.     We  must  fight  it 
through. 

And,  if  the  war  must  go  on,  why  put  off  longer  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  ?  That  measure  will  strengthen  us.  It 
will  give  us  character  abroad.  The  Nations  will  then  treat  with 
us,  which  they  never  can  do  while  we  acknowledge  ourselves 
subjects  in  anus  against  our  sovereign.  Nay,  I  maintain  that 
England  herself  will  sooner  treat  for  peace  with  us  on  the  foot- 
ing of  independence,  than  consent,  by  repealing  her  acts,  to 
acknowledge  that  her  whole  conduct  towards  us  has  been  a 
course  of  injustice  and  oppression.  Her  pride  will  be  less 
wounded  by  submitting  to  that  course  of  things  which  now 
predestinates  our  independence,  than  by  yielding  the  points  in 
controversy  to  her  rebellious  subjects.  The  former  she  would 
regard  as  the  result  of  fortune  ;  the  latter,  she  would  feel  as  her 
own  deep  disgrace.  Why,  then,  Sir,  do  we  not,  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, change  this  from  a  civil  to  a  national  war  ?  And,  since 
we  must  fight  it  through,  why  not  put  ourselves  in  a  state  to 
enjoy  all  the  benefits  of  victory,  if  we  gain  the  victory  ?  If  we 
fail,  it  can  be  no  worse  for  us.  But  we  shall  not  fail  !  The 
cause  will  raise  up  armies  ;— the  cause  will  create  navies.  The 
people, — the  people, — if  we  are  true  to  them,  will  carry  us,  and 
will  carry  themselves,  gloriously  through  this  struggle.  I  care 
not  how  fickle  other  people  have  been  found.  I  know  the  peo- 
ple of  these  colonies  ;  and  I  know  that  resistance  to  British 
aggression  is  deep  and  settled  in  their  hearts,  and  cannot  be 
eradicated.  Every  colony,  indeed,  has  expressed  its  willingness 
to  follow,  if  we  but  take  the  lead.  Sir,  the  Declaration  will  in- 
spire the  people  with  increased  courage.  Instead  of  a  long  and 
bloody  war  for  restoration  of  privileges,  for  redress  of  griev- 
ances, for  chartered  immunities,  held  under  a  British  king,  set 
before  them  the  glorious  object  of  entire  independence,  and  it 
will   breathe   into   them    anew    the   breath   of  life.     Read  this 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


71 


Declaration  at  the  bead  of  the  tinny  ;  every  sword  will  be 
drawn  from  its  scabbard,  and  the  solemn  vow  uttered,  to  main- 
tain it,  or  to  perish  on  the  bed  of  honor.  Publish  it  from  the 
Pulpit  [—religion  will  approve  it,  and  the  love  of  religious  liberty 
will  cling  pound  it,  resolved  to  stand  with  it,  or  fall  with  it. 
Send  it  to  the  public  halls  ;  proclaim  it  there  ;  let  them  hear  it 
who  beard  the  first  roar  of  the  enemy's  cannon,     Let  them  see  it 


LEXINGTON 


Bere  waa  Bred  the  Bret  Bhot  of  the  revolutionary  \v:ir  in  the  earl;  morning  of  April 
19,  1775. 


who  saw  their  brothers  and  their  sons  fall  on  the  field  of  Hunker 
Bill,  and  in  the  streets  of  Lexington  and  Concord,  and  the 
very  walls  will  cry  out  in  its  support  ! 

Sir,  I  know  the  uncertainty  of  human  affairs  :  hut  I  see 
clearly  through  this  day's  business.  You  and  I.  indeed,  may 
rue  it.  We  may  not  live  to  see  the  time  when  this  Declaration 
shall  he  made  good.      We   may   die,      die  colonists  ;  die  slave-,  . 


72  THE    TOUNQ   AMERICAN 

die,  it  may  be,  ignominiousl y,  and  on  the  scaffold  !  Be  it  so  ! 
be  it  so  !  If  it  be  the  pleasure  of  Heaven  that  my  country 
shall  require  the  poor  offering  of  my  life,  the  victim  shall 
be  ready  at  the  appointed  hour  of  sacrifice,  come  when  that 
hour  may.  But,  while  I  do  live,  let  me  have  a  country, — or, 
at  least,  the  hope  of  a  country,  and  that  a  free  country. 

But,  whatever  may  be  our  fate,  be  assured  that  this  Declara- 
tion will  stand.  It  may  cost  treasure,  and  it  may  cost  blood  ; 
but  it  will  stand,  and  it  will  richly  compensate  for  both. 
Through  the  thick  gloom  of  the  present,  I  see  the  brightness 
of  the  future,  as  the  sun  in  Heaven.  We  shall  make  this  a 
glorious,  an  immortal  day.  When  we  are  in  our  graves,  our 
children  will  honor  it.  They  will  celebrate  it  with  thanks- 
giving, with  festivity,  with  bonfires,  and  illuminations.  On  its 
annual  return,  they  will  shed  tears, — -copious,  gushing  tears, 
— not  of  subjection  and  slavery,  not  of  agony  and  distress, — but 
of  exultation,  of  gratitude,  and  of  joy.  Sir,  before  God,  I  be- 
lieve the  hour  has  come  !  My  judgment  approves  this  meas- 
ure, and  my  whole  heart  is  in  it.  All  that  I  have,  and  all  that 
I  am,  and  all  that  I  hope,  in  this  life,  I  am  now  ready  here  to 
stake  upon  it  ;  and  I  leave  off,  as  I  began,  that,  live  or  die,  sur- 
vive or  perish,  I  am  for  the  Declaration  !  It  is  my  living  senti- 
ment, and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  it  shall  be  my  dying  senti- 
ment,— Independence  now,  and  Independence  forever  ! 

ii.  The  Revolutionary  War.— The  Avar  of  indepen- 
dence— generally  called  the  revolutionary  war — was  a  hard 
struggle  for  the  colonists.  They  were  not  very  many  or 
very  rich,  while  Great  Britain  was  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful nations  in  the  world.  The  first  battle  was  at  Lexing- 
ton, Massachusetts,  on  the  10th  of  April,  1775.  The  Brit- 
ish soldiers  marched  from  Boston  in  the  night  in  order  to 
destroy   some  eannoiis  and   other  military  supplies    which 


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THE    YOUNG    AMERh  AN 


the  colonists  had  al  Concord.     Coming  to  1 1  * « -  Little  villi 
of  Lexington  early  in  the  morning,  they  found  a  company 
of  colonial   soldiers  standing  in  line  on   the  village  green. 
The  British  fired  on  them,  killing  some  and  driving  the 
rest  away.     The  supplies  ;ii   Concord  were  destroyed,  luit 


CONCORD   BATTLE-GROUND    AND    KON1   MINT 

On  the  19th  of  April.  1775,  the  British  troops  from  Boston  reached  Concord,  v 
t  loncord  bridge  the  minutemen  were  draw  n  up  under  arms  and  exchanged  a  Bharp  Brc 
with  the  enemy.  Having  destroyed  Mich  supplies  as  thej  could  find,  the  l!riti.-h 
marched  hark  to  i;<>st pursued  all  the  waj  by  the  swarming  minutemen,  «  hose  bul- 
lets came  from  behind  every  tree  and  bush  and  Btone  wall.  Thus  began  the  revolution- 
ary war. 

•■  Her ce  the  embattled  farmers  Bl I, 

Ami  fired  tlu'  Bhol  heard  round  the  world." 


when  the  British  started  to  march  back  to  Boston  they 
found  thai  the  colonists  had  come  from  far  and  near  to 
attack  them.  These  colonists  were  mostly  farmers  who 
had  imt  had  much  military  training,  bu1  they  knew  how 
to  sliiiut,  and  they  lined  the  woods  and  liilltops  along  roads 


74 


THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 


inarched  over  by  the  British,  keeping  up  a  steady  and 
destructive  fire.  It  was  only  by  meeting  a  large  body  of 
soldiers  sent  from  Boston  to  help  them  that  the  expedition 
succeeded  in  getting  back  to  Boston  at  all. 

12.  The  Americans  were  not  always  so  successful  as  they 
were  in  this  first  battle.  Their  armies  were  small,  badly 
armed,   and    poorly    clothed.     One   winter  their  principal 


WASHINGTON    VISITING   SICK    SOLDIERS    AT   VALLEY   FOKGE 


army,  commanded  by  General  George  Washington,  was 
encamped  at  Valley  Forge,  in  Pennsylvania.  They  lived 
in  huts,  had  not  enough  to  eat,  or  clothing  enough  to  keep 
them  wanii.  The  snow  was  more  than  once  stained  with 
blood  from  the  soldiers'  feet,  which  their  ragged  shoes  did 
not  protect.  But  General  Washington  never  despaired. 
He  had  been  appointed  to  command  all  the  armies  of  the 
colonists  soon  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  and  he  con- 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERIi  AN 


tinned  to  lead  them  to  the  end.  lie  was  30  greal  and  noble 
a  man  that  bis  soldiers  always  trusted  and  loved  him. 
After  many  battles,  some  defeats  and  some  victories,  he 
made  one  of  the  principal  British  armies  surrender  al 
Jorktown,  in  Virginia.  This  was  in  L781.  This  con- 
vinced the  government  of  Great  Britain  that  they  could 
not   conquer  the  colonies,  ami  so  at   last   peace  was  made. 

13.  In  the  lasl 
years    of   t  he    war  t  he 

Americans  were  aided 
by  France,  winch  sent 
ships  of  war  and  sol- 
diers to  help  General 
Washington  win  his 
victories. 

14.  The  British 
king,  George  the 
Third,  was  mainly  to 
blame  for  t  he  ill  treat- 
ment of  the  colonies 

which  led  to  1  he  war. 

The  people  iif  Great 
Britain,  as    a  whole. 

•  lid  not  like  the  war.  and  to-day  few  can  he  found  in  that 
country  t<>  justify  Bang  <  reorge.  So  while  we  can  he  proud 
of  the  spirit  and  heroism  of  our  fathers  who  won  our  inde- 
pendence, we  have  no  reason  for  feeling  ill-will  towards 
the  British  nation  to-day  because  of  the  folly  of  dead  and 
gone   Eling  George. 

15.  Edward  Everett.— Edward    Everett    was  a  brilliant 


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THE    TOXJNQ    AMERICAN  77 

scholar  and  orator.  Born  near  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in 
L794,  he  was  graduated  ;ii  Barvard  College  when  only 
seventeen  years  old.  He  was  a  Unitarian  preacher,  pro- 
fessor in  Harvard  and  president  of  that  college,  representa- 
tive in  congress,  governor  of  Massachusetts,  minister  of 
the  United  States  to  Greal  Britain,  secretary  of  Btate, 
United  States  senator  from  Massachusetts.  He  died  in 
L865.  The  following  extract  from  one  of  his  speeches 
shows  the  view  of  our  relations  to  the  mother  country  held 
by  a  patriotic  and  thoughtful  American  statesman  : 

Our  Relations  with  England 

Knu  \l;l«     l'\  I  RETT 

Wild  does  not  feel,  whal  reflecting  American  dor-  not  ac- 
knowledge, the  incalculable  advantages  derived  to  this  land 
oiit  of  the  deep  fountains  of  civil,  intellectual,  and  moral  truth, 
from  which  we  have  drawn  in  England  :  What  American 
does  not  feel  proud  thai  his  fathers  were  the  countrymen  of 
I'.aeon.  of  Newton,  and  of  Locke  ?  Who  does  not  know,  that, 
while  evei-\  pulse  of  civil  Liberty  in  the  heart  of  the  British 
empire  beat  warm  and  full  in  the  bosom  of  our  ancestors,  the 
sobriety,  the  firmness,  and  the  dignity,  with  which  the  cause  of 
free  principles  struggled  into  existence  here,  constantly  found 
encouragement  and  countenance  from  the  friends  of  liberty 
there  }  Who  does  not  remember,  that,  when  the  Pilgrims  went 
over  the  sea,  the  prayers  of  the  faithful  British  confessors,  in  all 
the  quarters  of  their  dispersion,  went  over  with  them,  while 
their  aching  eyes  were  strained  till  the  star  of  hope  should  go 
up  in  the  western  skies  \  And  who  will  ever  forget,  that,  in 
that  eventful  struggle  which  severed  these  youthful   republics 


78  THE    )(>r\(r   AMERICAN 

from  the  British  crown,  there  was  not  heard,  throughout  our 
continent  in  arms,  a  voice  which  spoke  louder  for  the  rights  of 
America  than  that  of  Burke,  or  of  Chatham,  within  the  walls 
of  the  British  Parliament,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  British  throne  ? 
Xo  ;  for  myself.  I  can  truly  say,  that,  after  my  native  land,  I 
feel  a  tenderness  and  a  reverence  for  that  of  my  fathers.  The 
pride  I  take  in  my  own  country  makes  me  respect  that  from 
which  we  are  sprung.  In  touching-  the  soil  of  England,  I  seem 
to  return,  like  a  descendant,  to  the  old  family  seat, — to  come 
I  iaek  to  the  abode  of  an  aged  and  venerable  parent.  I  acknowl- 
edge this  great  consanguinity  of  nations.  The  sound  of  my 
native  language,  beyond  the  sea,  is  a  music,  to  my  ear,  beyond 
the  richest  strains  of  Tuscan  softness  or  Castilian  majesty.  I 
am  not  yet  in  a  land  of  strangers,  while  surrounded  by  the 
manners,  the  habits,  and  the  institutions,  under  which  I  have 
been  brought  up.  I  wander  delighted  through  a  thousand 
scenes,  which  the  historians  and  the  poets  have  made  familiar 
to  ns, — of  which  the  names  are  interwoven  with  our  earliest 
associations.  I  tread  with  reverence  the  spots  where  I  can 
retrace  the  footsteps  of  our  suffering  fathers.  The  pleasant 
land  of  their  birth  has  a  claim  on  my  heart.  It  seems  to  me  a 
classic,  yea,  a  holy  land  ;  rich  in  the  memory  of  the  great  and 
good,  the  champions  and  the  martyrs  of  liberty,  the  exiled  her- 
alds of  truth,  and  richer,  as  the  parent  of  this  land  of  promise 
in  the  West. 

I  am  not — I  need  not  say  I  am  not — the  panegyrist  of  Eng- 
land. I  am  not  dazzled  by  her  riches,  nor  awed  by  her  power. 
The  sceptre,  the  mitre,  and  the  coronet, — stars,  garters,  and 
blue  ribbons, — seem  to  me  poor  things  for  great  men  to  contend 
for.  Nor  is  my  admiration  awakened  by  her  armies,  mustered 
for  the  battles  of  Europe  ;  her  navies,  overshadowing  the  ocean  ; 
nor  her  empire,  grasping  the  furthest  East.  It  is  these,  and  the 
price  of  guilt  and  blood  by  which  they  are  too  often  maintained, 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  79 

which  are  the  cause  why  ao  friend  of  liberty  can  salute  her 
with  undivided  aliwtions.  But  it  is  tin-  cradle  and  the  refuge 
of  free  principles,  though  often  persecuted  ;  the  school  of  relig- 
ious  liberty,  the  more  precious  for  the  struggles  through  which 
it  has  passed  ;  the  tombs  of  those  who  have  reflected  honor  on 
all  who  speak  the  English  tongue;  it  is  the  birth-place  of  our 
fathers,  the  home  of  the  Pilgrims  ;  -it  is  these  which  I  love  and 
venerate  in  England.  I  should  feel  ashamed  of  an  enthusiasm 
for  Italy  and  Greece,  did  1  not  also  fee]  it  Corn  land  like  this. 
In  an  American,  it  would  seem  to  me  degenerate  and  ungrate- 
ful to  hang  with  passion  upon  the  traces  of  Homer  and  Virgil, 
and  follow,  without  emotion,  the  nearer  and  plainer  footsteps 
of  Shakspeare  and  Milton.  I  should  think  him  cold  in  his  love 
for  his  native  land  who  felt  no  melting  in  his  heart  for  thai 
other  native  country,  which  holds  the  ashes  of  his  forefathers. 

16.  The  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill. —  When  the  revolution- 
ary war  broke  out  in  L775.  the  city  of  Bo-ton.  Massachu- 
setts, was  held  by  the  British  army.  The  Americans,  after 
the  battle  of  Lexington  (p.  73),  gathered  an  army  and 
laid  siege. to  Boston.  One  night  in  June  several  hundred 
American  soldiers  were  sent  to  seize  a  hill  near  Boston, 
from  the  top  of  which  it  would  he  easy  for  cannon  to  throw 
shot  into  the  city  and  to  sink  the  British  warships  in  the 
harbor.  The  hill  was  reached  quietly  in  the  darkness  and 
a  breastwork  was  thrown  up.  When  daylight  came  the 
British  generals  saw  the  Americans  on  the  hill,  ami  sent  a 
large  hod\  of  troops  to  drive  them  away.  'The  British  sol- 
diers formed  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  marched  up  with 
color-  flying  and  drum-  heating.  The  Americans  waited 
until  the  enenrj  wwr  very  near,  and  then  poured  in  so 
deadly  a  fire  of  bullets  thai  the  British  rank-  were  broken 


80 


THE    WUNG    AMERICAN 


and  driven  down  the  lull  in  confusion.  Again  the  British 
closed  np  their  ranks  and  charged  up  the  hill,  and  the 
second  time  they  were  driven  back.  When  they  advanced 
a  third  time,  however,  the  Americans  had  to  retreat,  as 
their  powder  was  gone.     So  the  British  took  the  hill. 

17.  But   the    battle    proved   that   the   Americans   could 


Copjright,  Souie  Photo  €0. 


MOUNT   VERNON 


This  was  the  home  of  Washington,  on  a  lofty  Virginia  bluff  overlooking  a  wide 
sweep  of  the  Potomac.  The  old  house,  which  was  built  in  1743,  is  carefully  preserved, 
and  is  rilled  with  relics  of  Washington  and  his  family.  In  a  tomb  near  by  sleeps  the 
hero — he  who  was  "first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  lirst  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men." 

tight — a  fact  which  had  been  scornfully  denied  by  British 
officers.  Few  battles  in  which  the  British  regiments  had 
been  engaged  were  so  bloody  as  this.  They  lost-  over  a 
third  of  their  number  in  killed  and  wounded.  Bunker 
Hill  battle  \v;i<  a  British  victory.  Bui  Americans  will 
never   Eorgel    the    heroism   of   the   men    who    on    thai    day 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN  81 

taughl  the  soldiers  of  King  George  thai  the  colonists  were 
in  earnest. 

18.  Daniel  Webster  and  the  Bunker  Hill  Monument. 
—  I>;iiiicl  Webster  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  L782.  tie 
was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  became  a  lawyer,  and 
rose  tu  high  rank  in  political  life.  For  many  years  he  was 
senator  from  Massachusetts,  and  twice  was  secretary  of 
Mate.  He  was  one  of  the  greatesi  constitutional  lawyers 
and  orators  in  our  history. 

19.  To  commemorate  the  battle,  a  granite  monument 
has  been  erected  on  the  hill  where  the  A.mericans  had 
their  main  defensive  work.  This  obelisk  is  known  as 
Bunker  Hill  Monument. 

20.  On  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  dune  IT'.  L825,  the  cornerstone  of  the  monument  was 
laid  with  imposing  ceremonies.  The  address  was  delivered 
by  Daniel  Webster,  one  of  the  most  famous  of  our  orators. 
To  do  honor  to  the  occasion,  a  little  hand  of  the  survivors 
of  the  battle  had  been  collected,  all  now  aged  men.  To 
them    Webster  turned   in   the  course   of    his    speech,   ami 

Spoke  as    follow-;  : 

•  Venerable  men  !  you  have  conic  down  to  us  £rom  a  former 
generation.  Eeaven  has  bounteously  Lengthened  oul  your  lives, 
that  yon  mighl  behold  tins  joyous  day.  You  are  now  where 
you  stood  fifty  years  ago,  this  very  hour,  with  your  brothers 
and  your  neighbors,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  the  strife  of  your 
country.  Behold  how  altered  !  The  sameheavens  are.  indeed. 
over  your  heads  ;    the  same  ocean  rolls  at  your  feet  ;    1  *  1 1 1  all  else 

how   changed  !     ^^  on   hear  now  no  roll  of  hostile  cannon  :  you 

see  no  mixed  volumes  of  smoke  and  flame  risiiiu  from  burning 
6 


82 


THE    YOUXH    AMERICAN 


Charlestown.  The  ground  strewed  with  dead  and  dying  ;  the 
impetuous  charge  ;  the  steady  and  successful  repulse  ;  the  loud 
call  to  repeated  assault  ;  the  summoning  of  all  that  is  manly  to 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  AT  THE  AGE  OP  SIXTY-FOUR 


repeated  resistance  ;  a  thousand  bosoms  freely  and  fearlessly 
bared  in  an  instant  to  whatever  of  terror  there  may  be  in  war 
and  death — all  these  you  have  witnessed,  but  you  witness  them 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICA  ^ 
no  more.     All  is  peace.     The  heights  of  yonder  metropolis,  ite 

lowers    ;iiid    roofs,    which    you    then    saw    tilled    with    wives   ;iikI 

children,  and  countrymen  in  distress  and  terror,  and  looking 
witli  unutterable  emotions  for  the  issue  of  the  combat,  have 
presented  you  to-day  with  the  sight  of  its  whole  happy  popula- 
tion, come  out  to  welcome  and  greel  you  with  an  universal 
Jubilee.  Yonder  proud  ships,  by  the  felicity  of  position  appro- 
priately lying  at  the  foot  of  this  mount,  and  seeming  fondly  to 
cling  around  it,  are  not  means  of  annoyance  to  you,  hut  your 
country's  own  means  of  distinction  and  defence.  All  is  peace  ; 
and  God  has  e  ranted  you  this  sight  of  your  country's  happiness 
ere  you  slumber  in  the  grave  forever.  He  has  allowed  you  to 
behold  and  partake  the  rewards  of  your  patriotic  toils  ;  and  he 
has  allowed  us.  your  sons  and  countrymen,  to  meet  you  here, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  present  generation,  in  the  name  of  your 
country,  in  the  name  of  liberty,  to  thank  you  ! 

"  But,  alas:  you  are  not  all  here!  Time  and  the  sword  have 
thinned  your  ranks.  Prescott,  Putnam.  Stark,  Brooks,  Read. 
Pomeroy,  Bridge!  our  eyes  seek  for  you  in  vain  amidst  this 
broken  band.  You  are  gathered  to  your  fathers,  and  live  only 
to  your  country  in  her  grateful  remembrance,  and  your  own 
bright  example.  But  let  us  not  too  much  grieve  that  you  have 
met  the  common  fate  of  men.  You  lived,  at  least,  long  enough 
to  know  that  your  work  had  been  nobly  and  successfully 
accomplished.  You  lived  to  see  your  country's  independence 
established,  and  to  sheathe  your  swords  from  war.  On  the 
light  of  Liberty  you  saw  arise  the  light  of   Peace,  like 

■  Anol  her  mom, 
Risen  on  mid-noon  ;'  — 

and  the  sky,  on  which  you  (dosed  your  eyes,  was  cloudless." 

21.  Patrick  Henry's  Famous  Speech. — In  the  excit- 
ing days  of  the  beginning  of  the  American  revolution  the 


84 


THE    YOUNO    AMERICAN 


people  of  Virginia  elected  a  convention  to  consider  what 
was  best  for  thai   old  colony  to  do.     In  March,  1775,  only 

a  few  weeks  he  fore  the 
battle  of  Lexington 
brought  on  the  war,  a 
debate  was  going  on  in 
the  convention  which 
seemed  likely  to  result 

in  no  definite  action 
being  taken.  This 
fired  the  spirit  of  Pat- 
rick Henry,  and  he 
offered  resolutions 
providing  that  the 
colony  should  at  once 
prepare  for  war. 

22.  Patrick  Henry 
was  born  in  Virginia, 
the  son  of  a  Scotch- 
man, in  1736.  His 
education  was  very 
scanty,  and  he  began 
the    practice     of    law 

Thisgranite  obelisk,  221  feel  high,  is  erected  on  after  a   preparation  of 
the  spot  where  the  battle  was  fought,  June  17,  1775. 

The  cornerstone  was  laid  June  17,  1825,  and  the  Only    six    weeks.       But 

monument  was  dedicated  June  17,  1843.    On  each  -\       -\      ~\                     ->• 

occasion  Daniel  Webster  was  the  orator.  Ilr    had    extraordinary 

natural  [towers  of  elo- 
quence, and  in  speaking  to  his  resolutions  in  the  conven- 
tion, he  thrilled  his  audience  with  the  speech  which  follows. 
One    who  was   present  says  that   when    Henry  took    his    seat 


BUNKEK     HII, I,    MUNI    M  K\T 


The  yoxjnq  America* 

"No  murmur  of  applause  was  heard.  The  effect  was  too 
deep.  After  the  trance  of  a  moment,  several  members 
started  from  their  seats.  The  cry,  To  arms!  seemed  to 
quiver  on  every  lip,  and  gleam  from  every  eye.  They 
became  impatienl  of  speech.  Their  souls  were  on  fire  for 
art  ion/' 

23.  This  is  the  famous  speech,  which  over  and  again 
has  been  declaimed  by  every  generation  of  Bchool-boys 
since  : 

Mr.  PRESIDENT  :  ft  is  natural  to  man  to  indulge  in  the  illu- 
sions of  Hope.  We  arc  apt  to  shut  our  eyes  against  a  painful 
truth,  and  listen  t<>  tin'  song  of  that  siren,  till  she  transforms  us 
into  beasts.  Is  tin-,  the  pari  of  wise  men.  engaged  in  a  greal 
and  arduous  struggle  for  liberty  .'  An-  we  disposed  to  be  of  the 
number  of  those  who.  having  eyes,  see  not.  and  having  ears, 
hear  not.  the  things  which  so  nearly  concern  our  temporal  sal- 
vation '  For  my  part,  whatever  anguish  of  spirit  it  may  cost, 
I  am  willing  to  know  the  whole  truth,  -to  know  the  worst,  and 
to  provide  for  it! 

I  have  hut  one  lam])  by  which  my  feet  are  guided  ;  and 
that  is  the  lamp  of  experience.  1  know  of  no  way  of  judg- 
ing of  the  future  hut  by  the  past.  And.  judging  l>y  the  past. 
1  wish  to  know  what  there  has  been  in  the  conduct  of  the 
British  ministry,  for  the  last  ten  years,  to  justify  those  hopes 
with  which  gentlemen  have  been  pleased  t«>  solace  themselves 
and  the  House  '.  Is  it  t li.it  insidious  smile  with  which  our  peti- 
tion lias  been  lately  received  :  Trust  it  not.  Sir  ;  it  will  prove 
a  snare  to  your  feet  !  Suffer  not  yourselves  to  he  betrayed  with 
a  kiss!  Ask  yourselves  how  this  gracious  reception  of  our  peti- 
tion comports  with  those  warlike  preparations  which  cover  our 
waters  and  darken  our  land.  Arc  Meets  and  armies  necessary 
to  a   work   of  love   and    reconciliation  '.      Have  we  shown   our- 


86 


THE    rOUXt;   AMERICAN 


selves  so  unwilling  to  be  reconciled,  that  force  must  be  called 
in  to  win  back  our  love  ? 

Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves,  Sir.     These  are  the  implements 
of   war  and  subjugation,— the  last  arguments  to  which  Kings 


PATRICK   HENRY  s   SPEECH 

In  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses,  1765,  Mr.  Henry  introduced  resolutions  against 
the  Stamp  act.  In  the  course  of  the  debate  he  exclaimed,  "Csesarhad  his  Brutus— 
Charles  the  First  his  Cromwell  —  and  George  the  Third  "—("Treason  !  "  cried  the 
Bpeaker  ;  "Treason  !  treason  !  "  echoed  from  every  part  of  the  house.  Henry  did  not 
hesitate  a  moment,  but  finished  his  sentence  with  Arm  emphasis)  "  may  profit  by  their 
example.  If  this  be  treason,  make  the  most  of  it."  '  This  was  the  first  step  toward 
the  revolution  in  Virginia. 


resort.  I  ask,  Gentlemen,  Sir,  what  means  this  martial  array,  if 
its  purpose  be  not  to  force  us  to  submission?  Can  Gentlemen 
;i>sign  any  other  possible  motive  for  it  ?  Has  Great  Britain  any 
enemy  in  this  quarter  of  the  world,  to  call  for  all  this  accumu- 
lation of  navies  and  armies  ?     No,  Sir,  she  has  none.     They  are 


77//:    roUNG    AMERICAN  87 

taeanl   for  us  ;  they  can  be  meanl  for  no  other.     They  are  sent 

over  to  bind  and  rivet  up is  those  chains  which  the  British 

ministry  have  l«-<-n  so  long  forging.  And  what  have  we  t<» 
oppose  to  them  '.  Shall  we  try  argument  :  Sir,  we  have  been 
trying  that,  forthe  last  ten  years.  Eave  we  anything  new  to 
offer  upon  1 1 1  *  -  subject  :  Nothing.  We  have  held  the  subject 
u]i  in  every  light  of  which  it  is  capable  ;  1  >i ii  it  has  been  all  in 
vain. 

Shall  we  resort  to  entreaty  and  humble  supplication  ?  What 
terms  shall  we  find  which  have  not  already  been  exhausted  \ 
Lei  us  not,  1  beseech  you,  Sir,  deceive  ourselves  longer.  Sir. 
we  have  done  everything  that  could  be  done,  to  avert  the  storm 
which  is  now  coming  on.  We  bave  petitioned,  we  have  remon- 
strated, we  have  supplicated,  we  have  prostrated  ourselves 
before  the  Throne,  and  have  implored  its  interposition  to 
arrest  the  tyrannical  hands  of  the  Ministry  and  Parliament. 
Our  petitions  have  been  slighted,  our  remonstrances  have  pro- 
duced additional  violence  and  insult,  our  supplications  have 
been  disregarded,  and  we  have  been  spurned,  with  contempt, 
from  the  foot  of  the  Throne. 

In  vain,  after  these  things,  may  we  indulge  the  fond  hope  of 
peace  and  reconciliation.  There  is  no  longer  any  room  for 
hope.  If  we  wish  to  he  free, — if  we  mean  to  preserve  inviolate 
those  inestimable  privileges  for  which  we  have  hoen  so  long 
contending, — if  we  mean  not  basely  to  abandon  the  uoble 
struggle  in  which  we  have  been  so  long  engaged,  and  which 
we  have  pledged  ourselves  never  to  ahandon  until  the  glorious 
object  of  our  contest  shall  be  obtained,  -we  must  tight  ;  I 
repeat  it.  Sir.  we  must  fight!  An  appeal  to  arms,  and  to  the 
God  of  Hosts,  is  all  that  is  left  us: 

They  tell  us.  Sir.  that  we  are  weak. — unable  to  cope  with  so 
formidable  an  adversary.  But  when  shall  we  be  stronger  :  Will 
it  he  the    next  week,  or  the  ne\t  year  '.     Will  it  he  when  we  are 


THE    WUNG   AMERICAN 

totally  disarmed,  and  when  a  British  guard  shall  be  stationed 
in  every  house  :  Shall  we  gather  strength  by  irresolution  and 
inaction  '.  Shall  we  acquire  the  means  of  effectual  resistance 
by  lying  supinely  on  our  backs,  and  hugging  the  delusive 
phantom  of  hope,  until  our  enemies  shall  have  bound  us  hand 
and  foot  :  Sir,  we  are  not  weak,  if  we  make  a  proper  use  of 
those  means  which  the  God  of  nature  hath  placed  in  our  power. 

Three  millions  of  People,  armed  in  the  holy  cause  of  liberty, 
and  in  such  a  country  as  that  which  we  possess,  are  invinci- 
ble by  any  force  which  our  enemy  can  send  against  us. 
Besides,  Sir.  we  shall  not  fight  our  battles  alone.  There  is  a 
just  God  who  presides  over  the  destinies  of  Nations,  and  who 
will  raise  up  friends  to  fight  our  battles  for  us.  The  battle,  Sir, 
is  not  to  the  strong  alone  ;  it  is  to  the  vigilant,  the  active,  the 
brave.  Besides,  Sir,  we  have  no  election.  If  we  were  base 
enough  to  desire  it.  it  is  now  too  late  to  retire  from  the  contest. 
There  is  no  retreat  but  in  submission  and  slavery!  Our  chains 
are  forged  !  Their  clanking  may  be  heard  on  the  plains  of  Bos- 
ton !  The  war  is  inevitable  ;  and  let  it  come !  I  repeat  it,  Sir, 
let  it  come! 

It  is  in  vain,  Sir,  to  extenuate  the  matter.  Gentlemen  may 
cry,  peace,  peace! — but  there  is  no  peace.  The  war  is  actually 
begun !  The  next  gale  that  sweeps  from  the  North  will  bring 
to  our  ears  the  <dash  of  resounding  arms!  Our  brethren  are 
already  in  the  field!  Why  stand  we  here  idle?  What  is  it 
that  Gentlemen  wish?  What  would  they  have?  Is  life  so 
dear,  or  peace  so  sweet,  .as  to  be  purchased  at  the  price  of  chains 
and  slavery.''  Forbid  it,  Almighty  God!  I  know  not  what 
course  others  may  take  ;  but  as  for  me,  give  me  liberty,  or  give 
me  death  ! 

24.  A  Cluster  of  Poems  About  the  Revolution. — 
The  stirring  events  of  the  revolutionary  war  have  inspired 


90  THE    YOUNQ  AMERICAN 

many  poems,  many  vivid  works  of  fiction,  and  many  of  the 
ihu'st  orations  in  our  language.  A.  couple  of  the  orations 
have  been  given.     There  now  follow  a  few  of  the  poems. 

Bunker  Hill 

B.   F.  Taylor* 

To  the  wail  of  the  fife  and  the  snarl  of  the  drum 

Those  Hedgers  and  Ditchers  of  Bunker  Hill  come, 

Down  out  of  the  battle  with  rumble  and  roll. 

Straight  across  the  two  ages,  right  into  the  soul. 

And  bringing  for  captive  the  Day  that  they  won 

With  a  deed  that  like  Joshua  halted  the  sun. 

Like  bells  in  their  towers  tolled  the  guns  from  the  town. 

Beat  that  low  earthen  bulwark  so  sullen  and  brown, 

As  if  Titans  List  night  had  plowed  the  one  bout 

And  abandoned  the  field  for  a  Yankee  redoubt  ; 

But  for  token  of  life  that  the  parapet  gave 

They  might  as  well  play  on  Miles  Standish's  grave  ! 

Then  up  the  green  hill  rolled  the  red  of  the  Georges 

And  down  the  green  vale  rolled  the  grime  of  the  forges  ; 

Ten  rods  from  the  ridges  hung  the  live  surge. 

Not  a  murmur  to  meet  it  broke  over  the  verge, 

But  the  click  of  flint-locks  in  the  furrows  along, 

And  the  chirp  of  a  sparrow  just  singing  her  song. 

In  the  Hash  of  an  eve.  as  the  dead  shall  be  raised, 

The  dull  bastion  kindled,  the  parapet  blazed, 

And  the  musketry  cracked,  glowing  hotter  and  higher, 

Like  a  forest  of  hemlock,  its  lashes  of  fire, 

Benjamin  Franklin  Taylor  was  the  son  of  a  professor  in  the  college  now  called 
Colgate  University,  in  the  state  of  New  York.  There  he  was  educated,  and  thence  he 
went  to  devote  himself  to  journalism  ;ni<l  literary  work.    He  died  in  1887. 


THE   VOUNQ   AMERICA*  91 

Ami  redder  the  scarlel  .- 1 r i <  1  riven  the  ranks, 
Ami  Putnam's  guns  hung,  with  ;i  roar  on  the  flanks. 
Now  the  battle  grows  dumb  and  the  grenadiers  wheel, 
Tis  the  crash  of  clubbed  musket,  the  thrusl  of  cold  steel, 
A i  bay  .ill  the  way,  while  tli<'  guns  held  their  breath, 
Foot  to  foot,  eye  to  eye,  with  each  other  and  Death. 
( ';ill  the  roll,  Sergeanl  Time  !     Match  the  day  if  you  can  ; 
Waterloo  was  for  Britons  -Bunker  Hill  is  for  man  ! 

*  Warren's   Address   to    the    American    Soldiers   at 

Bunker  Hill 

John  PierpontI 

Stand!  the  ground's  your  own,  my  braves  ! 
Will  ye  give  it  up  to  slaves  .' 
Will  ye  look-  for  greener  graves  '. 

I  li  >pe  3  e  mercy  still  '. 
What  "s  the  mercy  despots  feci  \ 
1  [ear  it  in  that  battle  peal  ! 
Read  it  on  you  brisl  ling  steel  '. 

Ask  it.  ye  who  will. 

Fear  ye  foes  who  kill  for  hire  .' 
Will  ye  to  your  homes  retire  .' 
I  .niik  behind  you  ;  they're  afire  ! 
And  before  you,  ■ 

Who  bave  done  it  '.      From  the  vah' 
I  >u  tiny  come  !     And  will  ye  quail  ' — 
Leaden  rain  and  iron  hail 
Lei  their  welcome  be  ! 

*  GeneralJoeeph  Warren  fought  al  the  battle  of  Bunker  Bill  aa  a  volunteer,  declin- 
ing to  take  command.    Be  was  killed  just  m<  the  Americans  were  retreating. 

The  Rev.  John  Pierpont  was  born  In  Connecticut  in  1785,  «a<  graduated  a(  "i 
College;  «;i*  a  lawyer,  merchant,  clergyman,  and  poet    Be  died  in  18 


92  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

In  the  God  of  battles  trust  ! 
Die  we  may,— and  die  we  must; 
But,  0,  where  can  dust  to  dust 

Be  consigned  so  well, 
As  where  Heaven  its  dews  shall  shed 
On  the  martyred  patriot's  bed, 
And  the  rocks  shall  raise  their  head, 

Of  his  deeds  to  tell  ! 


Song  of  Marion's  Men 

William  Cullen  Bryant  * 

OUR  band  is  few,  but  true  and  tried, 

Our  leader  frank  and  bold  ; 
The  British  soldier  trembles 

When  Marion's  name  is  told. 
Our  fortress  is  the  good  greenwood, 

Our  tent  the  cypress-tree  ; 
We  know  the  forest  round  us 

As  seamen  know  the  sea. 
We  know  its  walls  of  thorny  vines, 

Its  glades  of  reedy  grass, 
Its  safe  and  silent  islands 

Within  the  dark  morass. 

Woe  to  the  English  soldiery 

That  little  dread  us  near  ! 
On  thciii  shall  light  at  midnight 

A  strange  and  sudden  fear  : 

*  William  Cullen  Bryant,  born  in  Massachusetts  in  \7%.  was  an  American  poet  and 
journalist.  He  wasa student  at  Williams  College, but  did  not,  remain  to  graduate. 
J I  is  most  famous  poem  was  "  Thaiuitopsis."     He  died  in  1878. 


TEE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 


93 


When  waking  to  their  tents  on  fire 

They  grasp  their  arms  in  vain, 
Ami  thej  \\  li"  stand  to  face  us 

Aiv  beal  to  earth  again  ; 
And  they  who  fly  in  terror  deem 

A  mighty  host  behind, 
And  hear  the  tramp  of  thousands 

Upon  the  hollow  wind. 


«  II. 1. 1  \  M     Ml   IKS     BB1  AN  1 


Then  sweet  the  liour  that  brings  release 
From  danger  and  from  toil  : 

We  talk  tin-  battle  over, 
Ami  share  the  battle's  spoil. 


94  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

The  woodland  rings  with  laugh  and  shout, 

As  if  a  hunt  were  up, 
And  woodland  Bowers  are  gathered 

To  crown  the  soldier's  cup. 
With  merry  songs  we  mock  the  wind 

That  in  the  pine-top  grieves. 
And  slumber  long  and  sweetly 

On  beds  of  oaken  leaves. 

Well  knows  the  fair  and  friendly  moon 

The  hand  that  Marion  leads— 
The  glitter  of  their  rifles, 

The  scampering  of  their  steeds. 
'Tis  life  to  guide  the  fiery  barb 

Across  the  moonlight  plain  ; 
'Tis  life  to  feel  the  night- wind 

That  lifts  the  tossing  mane. 
A  moment  in  the  British  camp — 

A  moment — and  away 
Back  to  the  pathless  forest 

Before  the  peep  of  day. 

Grave  men  there  are  by  broad  Santee, 

Grave  men  with  hoary  hairs ; 
Their  hearts  are  all  with  Marion, 

For  Marion  are  their  prayers. 
And  lovely  ladies  greet  our  band 

With  kindliest  welcoming, 
With  smiles  like  those  of  summer, 

And  tears  like  those  of  spring. 
For  them  we  wear  these  trusty  arms, 

And  lay  them  down  no  more 
Till  we  have  driven  the  Briton 

Forever  from  our  shore. 


(  BAPTEB   VII 

A   Federal    Republic 

i.  What  a  Constitution  Is. — We  remember  that  a 
governmenl  is  chosen  by  the  | pie  to  do  the  public  busi- 
ness. Bui  when  some  men  are  chosen  to  make  laws,  for 
instance,  ami  others  to  carry  those  laws  out,  if  they  are 
left  wholly  at  liberty  they  may  make  and  execute  very  bad 
laws.  We  do  m>t  think  that  a  very  Bafe  kind  of  govern- 
ment. Indeed,  if  we  should  permit  it  we  mighl  BOOH  he 
m>  better  ofE  than  Russia,  whose  tsar  make-  whatever  law- 
he  pleases.  So.  in  order  to  prevenl  this  sori  of  thing  from 
happening,  tin-  people  of  the  United  States  made  tir-t  of 
all  one  greal  set  "\4  laws  which  everybody  must  obey.  This 
set  of  laws  tells  how  the  governmenl  -hall  he  formed,  what 
the  legislature  shall  he.  and  the  administration,  and  the 
courts.  Then  it  goes  on  to  say  what  things  each  branch 
of  governmenl  may  do.  and  what  -on  of  things  they  must 
not  do.  Thai  make-  u-  safe.  If  the  legislature  tries  to 
make  a  law  which  it  is  forbidden  to  make,  the  court  savs 
that  their  act  is  no  law  at  all.  and  then  nobody  is  hound  to 
obey  it. 

2.  'This  set  of  laws  which  provides  for  the  form  of  gov- 
ernment, and  for  what  it  may  do  and  for  what  it  must  not 
do.  i-  called  the  i  'onstitution. 

3.  The  1 pie  of  no  country  can  he  really  U-v<\  or  safe 

from  a  seltish  and  cruel  government,  without  a  good  con- 


96 


THE    YOUXG   AMERICAN 


stitution.      We  are  very  proud  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
Tinted   States.*     It  was  made  soon  after  the  revolutionary 

war  was  ended,  and 
has  served  to  protect 
our  liberty  and  to  in- 
sure us  a  good  gov- 
ernment  now  for 
more  than  a  century. 
4.  Many  in  One. 
— Before  the  revolu- 
tionary war  the  thir- 
teen colonies  each  had 
a  government  of  its 
own.  To  be  sure, 
these  governments 
were  not  indepen- 
dent, but  had  to  obey 
the  government  of 
Great  Britain,  in  Lon- 
don. But,  of  course, 
with  the  war  this  de- 
pendence ceased,  and 
the  colonies  governed 
themselves.  How- 
ever, they  had  to  act 
together  in  the  war,  and  in  order  to  do  that  they  each  of 
them  sent  representatives  to  what  they  called  a  congress,  at 
Philadelphia.  Congress  was  a  sort  of  common  government 
for  all  the  colonies,  so  far  as  the  war  was  concerned.     It 

*  The  Constitution  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  p.  240. 


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INDEPENDENCE   HALL,  PHILADELPHIA 

In  this  building  met  the  congress  of  the  thirteen 
colonics  which  adopted  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, July  4,  1776. 


THE    YOUNQ    AMEBIC  I  V  '.'7 

wa>  this  congress  which  made  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, July  1.  1776'  Aiter  thai  the  colonies  called 
themselves  states;  their  union  they  called  the  United 
States  of  .  l  merica. 

5.  Aiter  the  war  was  over  the  states  found  it  necessary 
t(»  make  a  better  government  Fur  the  new  republic. 
they  made  the  Constitution*  of  which  we  have  spoken. 
Hut  meanwhile  each  of  the  stales  kept  its  own  separate 
constitution  ami  government.  Thus  we  see  at  once  that 
the  United  State-  has  one  governmenl  Fur  the  whole  coun- 
try ami  another  foreach  one  <>j'  the  forty-five  states.  Thus 
our  republic  is  •'  many  in  one  *' — many  state-  forming  one 
republic.  This  sorl  of  government—  "many  in  one'*— is 
called  a  federation.  So  the  United  States  is  a  federation. 
\\  e  also  call  it  the  Union. 

6.  The  governmenl  For  the  whole  country  —  For  the 
Union-  -is  called  the  federal  government,  or.  which  is  the 
same  thing,  the  nat io nal  government. 

7.  The  place  where  the  laws  are  made  is  called  the 
capital.  'I'he  capital  of  the  United  States  is  the  city  of 
Washington — named  for  the  hero  of  the  revolutionary 
war.  There  the  national  legislature — also  called  "rnn- 
gress/'  like  that  of  the  revolutionary  colonies — meets  ever] 
year  and  makes  laws  For  the  republic.  Besides  that,  each 
state  has  its  own  capital,  where  the  state  legislature 
meets  and    makes   laws    For   the   state. 

*  The  convention  which  framed  the  Constitution  met  at  Philadelphia  in  May,  1787 
and  finished  its  labors  in  the  following  September.  Washington  was  president  of  the 
convention,  and  among  its  members  were  many  of  the  wisest  ana  best  men  in  the 
young  republic.  Mr.  Gladstone,  the  greal  English  statesman,  has  said:  "The  Amer- 
ican Constitution  is  the  most  wonderful  work  ever  Btruck  <>it  at  a  given  time  by  t lie 
bruin  ami  purpose  of  num." 

7 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICA*  90 

8.  The  capital  was  in  New  YTork  for  a  shor(  time,  bul 
longer  in  Philadelphia,  before  the  city  of  Washington  was 
built.  The  first  time  the  governmenl  met  al  the  presenl 
capital  was  in  L801,  and  there  ii  has  been  ever  since.  It  is 
;i  beautiful  city,  with  magnificenl  public  buildings,  wide 
streets,  parks,  and  numerous  statue-  and  monuments  of 
the  greal  men  of  the  republic.  Washington  i-  nol  in  a 
state,  hut  lies  in  a  territory  given  to  the  United  state-  by 
the  state  of  Maryland,  and  called  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia.    So  the  national  capital  belongs  to  the  nation. 

g.  How  Interference  Is  Avoided. --It  mighl  be 
though!  that  bo  many  legislatures  might  make  laws  which 
would  interfere  with  one  another.  But  the  Constitution 
prevents  that.  In  the  tirst  place,  congress  may  make  only 
such  laws  as  the  Constitution  permits.  Then  the  state 
legislatures  are  forbidden  to  make  any  laws  which  shall 
interfere  either  with  the  ( 'oust  it  ut  ion  or  with  the  laws 
made  by  congress.  In  this  way  there  is  very  little  trouble 
about    the   interference   of   laws. 

10.  The  Old  Thirteen.— The  thirteen  colonies  which 
resisted  the  tyranny  of  the  British  governmenl  became  the 
thirteen  Onited  States.  They  were  New  Hampshire,  Mas- 
-achusetts,  Khode  Island.  Connecticut,  New  York.  New- 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland.  Virginia,  North 
Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia.  Some  people 
think  thirteen  an  unlucky  number.  The  success  of  the 
old  thirteen  state.-,  a  fad  yet  broughl  to  mind  by  the 
thirteen  stripes  of  the  American  flag,  shows  how  foolish 
is  such  a  not  ion. 

ii.  The     New    Thirty-two.     When    the    old    thirteen 


100  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

colonies  became  an  independent  republic,  the  land  between 
the  Allegheny  Mountains  and  the  Mississippi  River  was  a 
wilderness.  Very  few  white  men  were  living  scattered 
among  its  forests  and  prairies,  and  these  few  were  mostly 
hunters.  Wild  beasts  and  wild  Indians  were  almost  the 
only  inhabitants  of  the  wild  land. 

12.  All  this  wilderness  belonged  to  some  of  the  states. 
What  is  now  the  state  of  Kentucky  was  a  part  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  what  is  now  Tennessee  belonged  to  North  Caro- 
lina. The  rest  of  the  land  of  which  we  are  speaking  was 
claimed  by  several  states — Georgia,  South  Carolina,  Vir- 
ginia, New  York,  Connecticut.  Massachusetts. 

13.  But  when  people  crossed  the  mountains  into  the 
woods  south  of  the  Ohio  Eiver  and  made  their  homes 
there,  it  was  very  inconvenient  for  them  to  be  under  the 
government  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  There  were 
no  railroads  in  those  days,  and  it  took  many  days  to  go  by 
the  forest  trails  to  and  fro  across  the  mountains.  Then, 
too,  the  people  east  of  the  mountain  range  were  busy  and 
absorbed  in  their  own  affairs,  and  the  settlers  in  the  far 
west  did  not  find  it  easy  to  get  such  laws  as  they  wanted. 
So  the  latter  asked  to  be  allowed  to  form  new  states.  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Carolina  were  willing,  and  so,  in  1792, 
the  congress  of  the  United  States  admitted  Kentucky,  and 
in  1796  Tennessee,  to  the  Union.  The  Constitution  gives 
congress  the  power  to  admit  new  states  to  the  Union. 
So  every  one  of  the  thirty-two  which  have  come  in  since 
the  old  thirteen,  has  been  admitted  by  an  act  of  congress. 

14.  Vermont  was  admitted  the  year  before  Kentucky. 
Both  ^Sew  Hampshire  and  New  York  claimed  to  own  the 


THE    VOUNQ    AMERICAN  101 

Green  Mountains,  and,  as  these  states  could  nol  agree,  the 
quarrel  was  settled  by  allowing  Vermonl  (which  means 
Qreen  Mountains)  to  be  a  separate  state. 

15.  The  states  which  owned,  or  claimed  to  own,  the  land 
wesl  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  and  not  included  in  the 
new  states  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  gave  all  thai  land 
to  the  United  States.  So  congress  made  the  law-  for  it. 
and  when  enough  people  had  made  settlements,  one  por- 
tion after  another  came  into  the  Union  as  states.  In  this 
way  were  admitted  Ohio,  Indiana.  Illinois  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  Alabama,  and  .Mississippi. 

16.  When  the  revolutionary  war  «;i-  ended,  in  L783,  the 
United  state-  was  hounded  on  the  west  by  the  Mississippi 
River.  Spain  owned  everything  wesl  of  that  stream  as 
far  as  the  Pacific.  Spain  also  owned  Florida,  and  the  land 
from  Florida  to  the  greal  river,  too.  Bui  nearly  twenty 
years  later  France  boughl  from  Spain  all  thai  vasl  area  from 
the  Mississippi  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  from  Texas  to 
British  America.  And  then  France  sold  this  land  to  the 
Tinted  State.-.  This  was  in  L803,  jusl  twenty  years  after 
the  war  of  independence.  We  paid  France  fifteen  millions 
of  dollars,  and  cheap  enough  it  was  at  thai  price.  There 
were  not  many  people  there  then.  The  firsl  settlers  had 
been  French  people  :  for  what  Spain  sold  to  France  had 
before  thai  been  sold  by  France  to  Spain.  New  Orleans 
was  a  French  city  of  no  greal  size  in  L803,  and  a  \'rw  other 
French  settlements  were  scattered  along  the  river.  Bui 
nearly  all  the  land  was  a  wilderness,  a  sea  of  treeless  prai- 
ries, over  which  roamed  herds  of  buffalo  and  tribes  of  wild 
Indians. 


102  the  vorxa  amebic  ax 

17.  Many  people  in  1803  thought  it  was  foolish  to  give 
so  much  money  for  a  great  tract  of  uninhabited  land. 
Very  little  was  known  about  it,  indeed.  Few  travelers 
had  gone  far  wesi  of  the  Mississippi.  Strange  tales  were 
told  "of  a  tribe  of  Indians  of  gigantic  stature;  of  tall 
bluffs  faced  with  stone  and  carved  by  the  hand  of  nature 
into  what  seemed,  a  multitude  of  antique  towers;  of  land 
so  fertile  as  to  yield  the  necessaries  of  life  almost  sponta- 
neously :  of  an  immense  prairie  covered  with  buffalo,  and 
producing  nothing  but  grass  because  the  soil  was  far  too 
rich  for  the  growth  of  trees  ;  and  how,  a  thousand  miles 
up  the  Missouri,  was  a  vast  mountain  of  salt  !  The  length 
was  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  ;  the  breadth  was  forty- 
live  :  not  a  tree,  not  so  much  as  a  shrub  was  on  it  ;  but,  all 
glittering  white,  it  rose  from  the  earth  a  solid  mountain  of 
rock-salt,  with  streams  of  saline  water  flowing  from  the 
fissures  and  cavities  at  its  base  !  The  story,  the  account 
admitted,  might  well  seem  incredible;  but,  unhappily  for 
the  doubters,  bushels  of  the  salt  had  been  shown  by  traders 
to  the  people  at  St.  Louis."  (McMaster's  "History  of  the 
People  of  the  United  States.") 

18.  In  time,  however,  people  went  into  the  new  land 
across  the  Mississippi  in  such  numbers  that  many  states 
have  been  admitted  into  the  Union  from  the  French  pur- 
chase— Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Minnesota, 
t  he  Dakotas,  Nebraska,  Kansas.  A  great  part  of  Montana, 
Wyoming,  and  Colorado  was  also  included  in  the  purchase. 

19.  Florida  was  bought  from  Spain  in  1819,  and  some 
years  later  became  a  state  of  the  Union. 

20.  At   ahout    that    time  there   was  a  revolution  in   the 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  L03 

remaining  Spanish  colonies,  and  t  hey,  follow  ing  i  he  example 
ill'  the  United  States,  declared  their  independence  and 
up  republican  governments  of  their  own.  Spain  tried  to 
conquer  her  colonies,  bul  « 1  i  <  I  noi  succeed  any  better  than 
had  Greal  Britain.  One  of  the  new  Spanish  American 
republics  was  Mexico,  whose  territory  included  a  large  pari 
of  what  is  now  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  United 
States.  Bui  Americans  went  across  the  line  and  >«*t 1 1»-< I  on 
.Mexican  soil  in  large  numbers,  and  finally  they  declared 
their  independence  of  Mexico,  forming  the  republic  of 
Texas.  'The  Mexicans  were  noi  able  to  conquer  the  Tex- 
ans  in  war,  and  in  lst.'>  the  congress  of  the  United  Sti 
admitted  Texas  to  the  Union.  This  unhappily  led  to  a 
war  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States.  The  Mexicans 
were  overcome,  and  at  the  end  of  the  war  they  gave  up  to 
the  United  State- a  large  amounl  of  land— all  wesl  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  between  the  presenl  northern  boundary 
of  Mexico  and  the  state  of  Oregon.  The  United  States 
paid  .Mexico  eighteen  and  a  half  million  dollars  for  the 
land.  Several  -tales  have  come  into  the  Union  from  this 
Mexican  land.  California  was  the  firsl  to  be  admitted.  It 
was  not  generally  known  when  peace  was  mad"  with  Mex- 
ico that  there  was  gold  in  California.  Bui  tic  discovery 
of  the  precious  metal  broughl  greal  numbers  of  people 
there  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  so  thai  in  a  very  few- 
years  California  became  a  state.  Nevada.  Utah,  and  parts 
of  Colorado  and  Wyoming  were  also  in  the  Mexican  land. 
The  country  including  the  states  of  Oregon,  Washington, 
and  Idaho  was  discovered  by  Americans  when  it  was  a  deso- 
late wilderness,  and  so  the  United  States  came  to  own  it. 


KM  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

21.  The  state  of  Maine  was  a  part  of  Massachusetts 
until  L820.  Hut  it  was  more  convenient  for  the  people  of 
that  district  to  be  in  a  separate  state,  and  in  L820  con- 
gress accordingly  admitted  Maine  to  the  Union. 

22.  So  we  see  that  since  the  republic  was  formed  by  the 
original  thirteen  states  the  congress  has  admitted  thirty- 
two  more  states  to  the  Union.  Our  flag,  therefore,  now 
lias  forty-five  stars. 

23.  But  there  are  still  large  areas  of  land  belonging  to 
the  United  States  which  are  not  included  within  any  state 
of  the  Union.  When  such  land  is  settled  by  a  considerable 
number  of  people,  but  not  by  enough  for  a  state,  congress 
makes  a  law  providing  for  a  local  government.  There 
is  usually  a  governor  appointed  by  the  president  of  the 
United  States,  a  legislature  elected  by  the  people,  and 
courts  whose  judges  are  appointed  by  the  president.  A 
district  so  governed  is  called  a  territory.  Oklahoma,  Ari- 
zona, and  New  Mexico  are  territories  provided  with  a  gov- 
ernment of  this  sort.  The  Indian  Territory  belongs  to 
certain  Indian  tribes,  each  of  which  has  a  government  of 
its  own.  Alaska  was  bought  from  Russia  in  1807.  There 
are  so  few  people  living  there  that  it  has  not  yet  a  full 
territorial  government. 

24.  The  territories  which  have  a  government  send  each 
of  them  one  delegate  to  the  lower  house  of  congress.  "But 
the  delegates  cannot  vote.  The  territories  have  no  sen- 
ators, and  have  no  electors  for  president  of  the  United 
States  (p.  L29).  It  is  expired  that  in  time  each  territory 
will  have  more  people,  and  will  then  become  a  state  of  the 
I '  nioll. 


77//:    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  105 

25.  The  Migration  to  Kentucky. — On  page  59  is 
found  a  Bketch  of  the  rush  of  people  bo  California  at 
aboul  the  middle  of  this  century.  The  migration  to  Ken- 
tucky, which  is  pictured  in  what  follows,  occurred  in  the 
Latter  pari   of  t  lie  eighteen!  h  cenl  ary. 

26.  John  .lames  A.udubon  was  a  famous  Ajnerican  orni- 
thologist, who  speni  many  year-  traveling  and  studying 
birds.  His  great  work,  "The  Birds  of  America."  was 
embellished  by  hundreds  of  beautiful  colored  plates.  His 
travels  took  him  into  the  forests  of  the  far  west,  and  he 
described  with  vivid  clearness  what  he  saw.  He  died  in 
lXol,  at   the  as,re   of  seventy-one  years. 

Migration  to  Kentucky 
John  James  Audubon 

TllK  Virginians  tin »vd  toward  the  Ohio.      An  ax,  a  couple 

of  horses,  and  a  heavy  rifle,  with  store  of  ammunition,  were  all 
that  were  considered  necessar\  for  the  equipment  of  the  man. 
who.  with  his  family,  removed  to  the  new  state  :  assured  that. 
in  that  land  of  exuberant  fertility,  he  could  not  fail  to  provide 
amply  for  all  his  wants. 

To  have  witnessed  the  industry  and  perseverance  of  these 
emigrants  must  at  once  have  proved  the  origin  of  their  minds. 
Regardless  of  the  fatigue  attending  every  movement  which  they 
made,  they  pushed  through  an  unexplored  region  Of  dark  and 
tangled  forests,  guiding  themselves  by  the  sun  alone,  and 
reposing  at  nighl  on  the  bare  ground.  They  had  to  cross  num- 
berless streams  on  rafts  with  their  wives  and  children,  their 
cattle,  and  their  Luggage;  often  drifting  to  considerable  dis 
tances  before  they  could  effect  a  landing  on  tl pposite  shores. 


106  THE    YOUNG    AJIKh'H'AX 

Their  cattle  would  often  stray  amid  the  rich  pasturage  of  these 
shores,  and  occasion  a  delay  of  several  days.  To  these  troubles 
add  the  constantly  impending  danger  of  being  murdered,  while 
asleep  in  their  encampments,  by  the  prowling  and  ruthless 
Indians.  To  encounter  difficulties  like  these  must  have  required 
energies  of  no  ordinary  kind,  and  the  reward  which  these  vet- 
eran settlers  enjoyed  was  doubtless  well  merited. 

Some  removed  from  the  Atlantic  shores  to  those  of  the  Ohio 
in  more  comfort  and  security.  They  had  their  wagons,  their 
negroes,  and  their  families;  their  way  was  cut  through  the 
woods  by  their  ax-men  the  day  before  their  advance;  and, 
when  night  overtook  them,  the  hunters  attached  to  the  party 
came  to  the  place  pitched  upon  for  encamping,  loaded  with  the 
dainties  of  which  the  forest  yielded  an  abundant  supply ;  the 
blazing  light  of  a  huge  fire  guiding  their  steps  as  they  ap- 
proached, and  the  sounds  of  merriment  that  saluted  their  ears 
assuring  them  that  all  was  well.  The  flesh  of  the  buffalo,  the 
bear,  and  the  deer  soon  hung  in  large  and  delicious  steaks  in 
front  of  the  embers;  the  cakes,  already  prepared,  were  deposited 
in  their  proper  places,  and,  under  the  rich  drip  of  the  juicy 
roasts,  were  quickly  baked.  The  wagons  contained  the  bed- 
ding; and.  while  the  horses  which  had  drawn  them  were  turned 
loose  to  feed  on  the  luxuriant  undergrowth  of  the  woods,  some 
perhaps  hoppled,  but  the  greater  number  merely  with  a  bell 
hung  to  their  neck,  to  guide  their  owners  in  the  morning  to  the 
spot  where  they  may  have  rambled,  the  party  were  enjoying 
themselves  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 

In  anticipation,  all  is  pleasure;  and  these  migrating  bands 
feasted  in  joyous  sociality,  unapprehensive  of  any  greater  diffi- 
culties than  those  to  be  encountered  in  forcing  their  way 
through  the  pathless  woods  to  the  land  of  abundance;  and 
although  it  took  months  to  accomplish  the  journey,  and  a  skir 
mish  now  and   then  took  place  between    them    and    the  Indians, 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICA*  L07 

who  sometimes  crept  unperceived  into  their  very  camp,  still  did 
the  Virginians  cheerfully  proceed  toward  the  western  horizon, 
until  the  various  groups  all  reached  the  Ohio;  when,  struck 
with  the  beauty  of  thai  magnificent  stream,  they  at  once  coin 
menced  the  task  of  clearing  land  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
a  permanent  residence. 

(  Mhers,  perhaps  encumbered  with  too  much  Luggage,  preferr<  d 
descending  the  stream.     They   prepared  arks  pierced  with  put 
holes,  and  glided  on   the  gentle  current:  more  annoyed,  how- 
ever, than  those  w  ho  marched  hy  land,  by  the  attack  of  Indians, 
who  watched  their  motions. 

Many  travelers  have  described  these  boats,  formerly  called 
arks,  hut  now  named  flat-boats;  but  have  they  told  you  that  in 
those  times  a  boat  thirty  or  fort  \  feet  in  Length,  by  ten  ortwelve 
in  breadth,  was  considered  a  stupendous  fabric?  that  this  boal 
contained  men.  women,  and  children,  huddled  together  with 
horses,  cattle,  hogs,  and  poultry  for  their  companions,  while 
the  remaining  portion  was  crammed  with  vegetables  and  pack- 
ages of  seeds.'  The  roof  or  deck  of  thehoat  was  not  unlike  a 
farm  yard,  being  covered  with  hay.  plows,  carts,  wagons,  and 
various  agricultural  implements,  together  with  numerous  others. 
among  which  the  spinning  wheels  of  the  matrons  were  conspicu- 
ous. Even  the  sides  of  the  floating  mass  were  loaded  with  the 
wheels  of  thedifferenl  vehicles,  which  themselves  lay  on  the  roof. 

Have  they  told  you  that  these  boats  contained  the  little  all 
of  each  family  of  venturous  emigrauts.  who.  fearful  of  being 
discovered  by  the  Indians,  moved  about  in  darkness  when  nighl 
came  on.  groping  their  way  from  one  part  to  another  of  these 
floating  habitations,  and  denying  themselves  the  comfort  of  fire 
or  light,  lest  the  foe  that  watched  them  from  the  shore  would 
rush  upon  them  and  destroy  them  ]  Have  they  told  you  that 
this   boal   was    used,  after   the    tedious   voyage  was  ended,  as  the 

lirst  dwelling  of  these  new   settlers; 


108  THE    VO(\X<;   AMERICAN 

I  shall  not  describe  the  many  massacres  which  took  place 
among-  the  different  parties  of  white  and  red  men,  as  the  former 
moved  down  the  ( )bi<>.  because  I  have  never  been  very  fond  of 
battles,  and,  indeed,  have  always  wished  that  the  world  were 
more  peaceably  inclined  than  it  is  ;  and  I  shall  merely  add  that, 
in  one  way  or  another,  Kentucky  was  wrested  from  the  original 
owners  of  the  soil. 


CHAPTEB    VIII 

American  Home  Rule 

i.  We  have  seen  thai  there  is  one  governmenl  for  the 
republic,  the  principal  officers  of  which  are  at  the  city  of 

Washington,  ami    also  that  each  of  the  forty-five   states  lias 
a  government   of  its  own. 

2.  lint  this  is  not  all.  The  people  in  the  states  are 
scattered  over  a  wide  area,  living  in  cities  and  in  villages 
and  in  solitary  farm-houses.  Now,  the  purpose  of  govern- 
menl is  to  make  and  enforce  laws  for  all  to  obey,  and  to 
manage  such  business  as  is  for  the  common  interest. 

3.  What  Local  Self-Government  Is. — An  example  of 
such  business  is  the  building  of  a  bridge.  If  a  stream  is 
too  deep  to  cross  easily  in  the  water,  it  is  plain  that  a 
bridge  ought  to  be  bnilt.  1  >  1 1 1  as  this  would  he  for  the 
benefit  of  anybody  who  might  want  to  cross,  it  would 
seldom  pay  any  one  man  to  build  it.  It  ought  to  be  bnilt 
by  the  government,  for  the  use  of  all  the  people.  But, 
after  all.  such  a  bridge  would  not  be  \\<n]  very  numb  except 
by  the  people  who  might  live  rather  near  it.  In  a  great 
Btate  there  would  be  many  thousands  of  people  who  would 
know  or  care  nothing  about  it.  And  so  we  think  that  the 
people  most  likely  to  use  the  bridge  are  the  ones  who  ought 
to  decide  whether  they  will  have  one  or  not.  and  who 
ought    to   pay   for   it. 


no  the  Yorxa  amkhk-ax 

4.  In    other    words,  we    think    that    each    neighborhood 

oughl   to  be  K't't    five  to  manage   its   own  affairs.     This  is 
what   we  call  local  self-government,  or  home  rule. 

5.  Counties.  —  In  order  to  provide  for  this  local  free- 
dom, in  the  first  place  every  state  is  divided  into  a  number 
of  rather  large  neighborhoods,  usually  called  counties.  In 
the  state  of  Louisiana  they  are  called  parishes.  Each 
county  has  a  name.  The  number  of  counties  differs  in 
different  states.  In  IMew  York  there  are  sixty,  in  Illinois 
one  hundred   two. 

6.  Each  county  has  a  government  of  its  own,  chosen  by 
the  people.  This  county  government  may  make  laws, 
only  they  must  not  interfere  with  the  laws  of  the  nation 
or  state.     It  is  the  duty  of  the  county  government,  too, 

t  to  see  that  the  state  laws  as  well  as  the  county  laws  are 
obeyed  in  the  county.  And  they  manage  such  county 
affairs  as  are  intrusted  to  them.  There  is  always  a  county 
jail,  and  usually  a  county  house  or  farm  for  paupers. 

7.  The  County  Jail. — The  jail  is  a  strong  building,  with 
heavy  locks  for  the  doors  and  with  iron  gratings  over  the 
windows.  When  any  one  is  arrested  on  the  charge  of  hav- 
ing committed  some  crime  he  is  sent  to  the  jail  for  safe- 
keeping until  the  court  meets  for  his  trial.  If,  on  the  trial, 
the  court  decides  that  the  prisoner  is  guilty  of  the  crime 
charged,  he  may  be  sentenced  to  a  term  in  prison.  This  is 
quite  another  thing  than  the  jail.  The  prison,  or  peniten- 
tiary, belongs  to  the  state,  and  the  prisoners  are  usually 
kept  busy  with  some  useful  work.  In  the  jail  the  prisoners 
are  not  made  to  work. 

8.  People  who  commit  some  very  small  offense  against 


THE    70UN0    AMERICAN  111 

the  law,  too  small  to  warranl  a  sentence  to  state's  prison, 
arc  sometimes  Benl  to  jail  for  a  shorl  time  a  few  days,  or 
weeks,  perhaps. 

9.  The  jailer  often  lives  in  a  house  adjoining  the  jail. 
lie  lias  to  have  assistants  to  help  him  lake  care  of  the 
building  ami  of  the  prisoners,  ami  keep  watch  that  the 
Latter  do  nol  escape.  The  jailer  and  his  assistants  are  em- 
ployed  by  t  lie  eollllt  \  . 

10.  It  is  a  greal  disgrace  to  be  Benl  i<>  jail.  But,  unfor- 
tunately, there  are  always  some  people  who  will  nol  obey 
the  laws,  ami  of  course  they  have  to  be  punished.  Thieves 
ami  counterfeiters  ami  incendiaries  musl  I"'  sent  to  jail  ami 
prison,  or  nobody's  property  would  be  safe.  A  good  citizen 
is  always  vory  careful  nol  to  interfere  with  the  rights  of 
others,  lie  is  honesl  with  his  neighbors'  property,  and 
never  does  any  harm  either  to  person  or  property  it'  he  can 
help  it.      If  all  the  people  were  good  citizens  no  jails  would 

lie  needed. 

11.  The  Rothschilds. —  Nearly  everybody  has  heard  of 
the  family  of  Rothschilds,  the  rich  hankers  of  Europe. 
Their  wealth  is  enormous  SO  greal  that  they  make  loans 
only  to  governments  and  onlv  in  very  large  sums. 

12.  The  early  history  of  their  vast  fortune  is  quite 
curious.  Ahoiit  a  hundred  years  ago  there  was  in  the  city 
of  Frankfort -on-t he-.Main.  Germany,  a  dewi.-h  money- 
lender named  .Mayer  Anselm  Bauer.  His  sign  was  a  red 
shield,  which  in  German  is  Rothschild.  He  was  not  at  that 
time  a  man  id'  large  fortune.  The  French  armies  were 
then  invading  Germany,  and  a  German  prince,  fearing  that 
the  enemy  would  seize  his  Large  property  in  jewels  and  gold 


112  77/ /•:    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

if  he  should  leave  it.  and  no!  daring  to  take  it  with  him 
in  his  flight,  finally  bethought  him  of  this  money-lender. 
The  Jew  was  reluctant  to  undertake  the  trust,  but  finally 
consented,  and  the  vast  fortune  was  left  in  his  hands,  with- 
out a  scrap  of  writing  to  show  that  he  was  responsible  for 
it.  He  carefully  buried  the  treasure  in  his  garden,  but  left 
his  own  money  in  its  usual  place.  When  the  French  came 
they  seized  the  money  of  the  Jew,  but  did  not  discover  that 
of  the  prince.  After  they  left,  Rothschild  (so  called  from 
his  well-known  sign)  used  some  of  the  prince's  money  so 
judiciously  as  to  gain  considerable  profits  from  it.  When 
the  wars  were  ended  the  prince  returned  to  Frankfort,  and 
at  once  visited  the  banker.  It  was  with  fear  and  trembling 
that  he  asked  for  his  treasure,  not  only  because  the  enemy 
might  have  taken  it.  but  also  because  he  feared  that  even 
if  it  had  escaped  that  danger  the  honesty  of  the  Jew  would 
not  have  been  proof  against  the  great  temptation  to  appro- 
priate the  millions  so  wholly  confided  to  him.  What  was 
the  prince's  delight,  however,  to  hear  from  the  banker  that 
all  the  fortune  was  safe.  Moreover,  Rothschild  proposed 
to  pay  him  five  per  cent,  for  its  use,  although  his  own 
property  had  been  intentionally  sacrificed  so  that  the  French 
would  not  suspect  the  greater  hoard.  The  overjoyed  prince 
fully  recompensed  the  banker  for  his  losses,  and  thereafter 
was  never  tired  of  sounding  the  praises  of  the  honest  Jew 
of  Frankfort.  The  latter  in  time,  amassed  a  huge  fortune, 
largely  from  loans  to  governments  which  has  been  greatly 
increased  since  by  his  descendants. 

13.   Here  is  a  case  in  which  an  honest  man  was  a  better 
safeguard  for  treasure  than  stone  walls  and  steel  locks. 


THE    VilMi   AMERICAN  113 

14.  Care  of  the  Helpless  Poor.     There  is  a  greal  deal 

iif  Qonsense    in    calling   | pie  "poor."     Of  course  some 

have   much    more  money,  much    finer   houses,  many   more 

luxuries,  than  others.     Bui  whether  one  is  considered  | r 

hi-  rich  depends  entirely  on  the  point  of  view.  Some  years 
ago  a  group  of  mine-owners  in  Colorado  were  chatting  in  a 
Washington  hotel.  All  of  them  were  millionaires.  Tin- 
talk  fell  on  a  certain  renowned  general  of  tin-  civil  war, 
whose  property  was  estimated  a1  five  or  six  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars.  ••  Ah ! "'  said  one  .if  1  he  party,  ■•  I  suppose  he 
really  is  quite  as  happy  as  it'  he  were  rich."  To  the  man 
with  millions  the  other  man  with  thousands  seemed  poor. 
Bui   most   people  would  think  such  a  man  rich. 

15.  The  I'aet  is  that  no  one  is  really  pool-  if  he  is  able 
and  willing  to  earn  an  honest  living,  and  has  the  chance  to 
do  it.  lie  is  independent,  and  where  there  is  indepen- 
dence t  here  is  no  act  ual  poverty. 

16.  Bui  there  are  always  some  people  who  have  no 
property,  and  who.  for  one  reason  or  another,  eannol  irct  a 
living.  Perhaps  they  are  broken  down  in  health  —  perhaps 
they  are  too  old  and  feeble  to  work.  In  that  ease,  if  they 
have  friends  w  ho  can  take  care  of  I  hem.  t  hey  will  not  sutler. 
Bui  if  they  have  110  one  to  care  for  them  they  will  simply 
starve  if  left  to  themselves.  This  cannot  be  permitted.  So 
the  people  of  each  county  provide  a  home  of  some  sorl  for 
the  destitute.  It  is  usually  plain.  It  should  always  be 
comfortable.  'The  inmates,  we  must  remember,  are  not 
criminal-.  They  are  merely  unfortunate.  And  it  is  the 
duty  of  tin-  public  to  care  for  them. 

17.  Tramps. — There  arc  always  some  men  who  are  able 


114  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

to  work  hut  prefer  to  be  idle.  If  they  have  no  property  to 
support  them  they  can  Live  only  by  begging  or  stealing. 
Sometimes  such  men  spend  their  time  wandering  about 
the  country ,  sleeping  in  barns  or  under  haystacks,  and 
begging  for  money  and  food  and  clothes.  These  wretched 
beings  are  called  "  tramps."  It  is  a  great  pity  to  see  a 
man  so  low  down  as  these.  If  they  would  work  they  could 
generally  get  an  honest  living.  But  they  prefer  their 
worthless,  vagabond  life  to  one  of  steady  industry.  They 
deserve  little  sympathy  find  less  help,  for  they  are  un- 
worthy of  either.  The  county  homes  for  the  poor  are  not 
intended  for  tramps. 

18.  Sometimes  a  man  has  been  known  to  excuse  an  act 
of  dishonesty  by  saying.  "  The  world  owes  me  a  living.  If 
I  can't  get  it  in  one  way  I  must  in  another."  But  that  is 
pure  nonsense.  The  world  owes  no  man  a  living  unless  he 
earns  it.  If  one  is  so  unfortunate  that  he  cannot  provide 
for  himself  at  all,  the  community  will  take  care  of  him. 
But  any  man  who  can  work  and  prefers  to  he  idle  and  to 
depend  on  those  who  do  work  is,  after  all,  only  a  sort  of 
t  ramp.     He  is  of  no  manner  of  use  to  the  world. 

19.  Towns. — In  some  states  the  counties  are  divided 
into  still  smaller  neighborhoods,  called  towns.  This  neigh- 
borhood is  so  small  that  the  people  can  come  together 
without  much  difficulty  to  decide  public  matters.  At 
these  town  meetings  the  people  often  vote  to  build  a 
bridge,  to  repair  a  road,  or  something  of  that  sort.  They 
also  choose  the  town  officers,  generally  for  the  term  of  one 
year,  and  decide  how  much  money  shall  be  used  for  town 
purposes. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICA*  115 

20.  Villages. —  In  the  country  the  farm-houses  are  lt« •  n - 
erally  quite  Ear  apart.  Bui  when  a  uumber  of  houses  are 
Imilt  rather  close  together,  ><»  a>  to  form  a  community  of 
perhaps  a  IVw  hundred  people,  the  place  is  called  a  village. 
The  houses  arc  usually  nol  Earm-houses  There  are  gen- 
erally <>iir  or  more  stores,  blacksmith  shops,  churches, 
school-houses,  with  perhaps  doctors,  dressmakers,  mil- 
liners, a  post-office.     The    Larger  the  vrillage  the  more  of 

these    will    he    found. 

21.  Of  course  villages  are  not  all  of  tic  same  size. 
Some  arc  quite  large,  having  even  thousands  of  people. 

22.  A  village  has  a  government  of  its  nun.  chosen  by 
the  people.  What  that  governineiil  is.  and  what  are  its 
duties,  we  shall   consider  in   another  chapter. 

23.  Cities.  —  A  large  number  of  people  living  rather 
near  together  is  called  a  city.  In  a  city  there  are  streets 
in  place  of  country  roads.  These  streets  are  often  paved 
witli  stone  or  brick  or  wooden  blocks.  There  are  many 
stores,  churches,  and  school-houses,  and  usually  a  uum- 
ber of  manufactures. 

24.  A  city  has  a  government  of  its  own.  which  make- 
laws  and  sees  that  they  arc  obeyed,  and  attends  to  all 
manner  of  public  business. 

25.  A-  a  city  has  a  rather  large  number  of   people,  it  is 

usually  divided  for  convenience  into  small  neighborh 1-. 

called  wards.     Bach  ward  has  snme  public  officers  chosen 
by  the  people.     The  wards  are  numbered. 

26.  Local  Self-Government.  —  We  see  that  each  part 
of  our  republic,  whether  state,  county,  city,  or  village,  has 
a  government  of  its  own.  chosen  by  the  people.     All  tic  - 


116  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

different  kinds  of  governmeni  gel  along  without  interfering 
with  one  another  because  each  merely  minds  its  own  busi- 
ness. The  state  government  must  not  make  any  laws 
which  interfere  with  the  national  laws.  The  governments 
of  the  counties,  cities,  and  villages  must  not  interfere  with 
the  state  laws.  But  anything  which  concerns  nobody  but 
a  particular  city  is  left  altogether  to  that  city.  For  ex- 
ample, the  people  of  Chicago  may  want  to  pave  one  of 
their  streets  with  stone.  Well,  what  docs  it  matter  to 
anybody  outside  the  city  ?  The  city  of  Chicago  pays  for 
it,  and  nobody  else  cares.  So  the  state  or  the  county  gives 
no  attention  to  it,  and  the  city  does  what  it  pleases.  That 
is  what  we  call  "local  self-government,''  or  "home  rule." 
Each  particular  neighborhood  is  left  free  to  manage  its 
own  affairs  as  it  pleases. 

27.  The  Local  Divisions  Are  Not  Our  Country. — Any 
man  who  has  been  born  and  brought  up  in  a  particular 
part  of  the  republic — in  Massachusetts  or  Pennsylvania  or 
Virginia  or  California — naturally  has  an  affection  for  his 
<>\vn  state  or  his  own  city  or  his  own  county.  That  is  his 
immediate  home.  The  associations  of  his  life  gather 
around  it.  There  are  his  friends  and  neighbors.  There 
he  does  his  work,  lie  is  proud  of  his  own  state  or  city, 
and  is  anxious  for  its  added  prosperity. 

28.  But,  after  all,  our  country — the  nation  of  which  the 
flag  is  the  symbol — is  the  whole  republic.  Our  first  duty 
as  citizens  is  to  the  republic.  To  be  sure,  unless  we  do  our 
duty  also  as  citizens  in  our  home  neighborhood,  we  shall 
very  surely  be  bad  citizens  of  the  republic.  But  local  jeal- 
ousies   and    prejudice   are   entirely    wrong   for    American 


Till:    YOUNG    AMERICAN  117 

patriots.  The  fact  lb  that  excellenl  people  are  Found  in 
every  section  of  the  land.  Ami  a  real  patriot  i~  pleased 
when  he  hears  of  the  prosperity  of  any  portion  of  our 
count  ry. 

29.  A  distinguished  citizen  of  Massachusetts,  Mr.  Etoberl 
('.  Winthrop,  put  this  30  eloquently  in  one  of  his  speeches 
that  it  is  worth  every  man's  while  to  read  it.  Mr.  Winthrop 
was  educated  a1  Harvard  College,  studied  law  with  Daniel 
Webster,  was  a  member  of  congress  and  United  States 
senator  from  Massachusetts,  and  won  wide  reputation  as  a 
scholar  and  orator.     He  died  in  L894. 

The  Patriot  Traveller  in  a  Foreign  Land 

Robert  I '.  Winthrop 

It  is,  without  all  question,  my  friends,  one  of  the  best  influ- 
ences of  a  sojourn  in  foreign  lands,  upon  a  heart  which  is  qoI 
insensible  to  the  influences  of  patriotism,  that  one  forgets  for  a 
time,  or  remembers  only  with  disgust  and  loathing,  the  conten- 
tions and  controversies  which  so  often  alienate  and  embitter  us 
at  home.  There  is  no  room  on  that  little  map  of  his  country 
winch  every  patriot  hears  abroad  with  him.  photographed  OD  his 
heart,  there  is  no  room  on  that  magical  miniature  map  for 
territorial  divisions  or  sectional  boundaries.  Lar»e  enouuh  to 
reflect  and  reproduce  the  image  and  outlines  of  the  whole 
Union,  it  repels  all  impression  of  the  petty  topographical  feat- 
ures which  belong  to  science  and  the  schools.  Still  more  docs  it 
repel  the  miserable  seams  and  scratches  by  which  sectional  poli- 
ticians have  sought  to  illustrate  their  odious  distinctions  and 
comparisons.  And  so.  the  patriot  traveller  in  foreign  lands, 
with  that  chart  impressed  in  lines  of  light  and  love  OD  bis 
memory,  looks  hack  on  his  omitis   onlj   as  a  whole.      He  learns 


118  THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

to  love  it  more  than  ever  as  a  whole.  He  accustoms  himself 
to  think  kindly  of  it,  and  to  speak  kindly  of  it,  as  a  whole  ;  and 
he  comes  home  ready  to  defend  it  as  a  whole,  alike  from  the 
invasion  of  hostile  armies  or  the  assaults  of  slanderous  pens  and 
tongues.  He  grasps  the  hand  of  an  American  abroad  as  the 
hand  of  a  brother,  without  stopping  to  inquire  whether  he  hails 
from  Massachusetts  or  from  South  Carolina,  from  Maine  or  Loui- 
siana, from  Vermont  or  Virginia.  It  is  enough  that  his  pass- 
port bears  the  same  broad  seal,  the  same  national  emblem,  with 
his  own.  And  every  time  his  own  passport  is  inspected,  every 
time  he  enters  a  new  dominion  or  crosses  a  new  frontier,  every 
time  he  is  delayed  at  the  custom-house,  or  questioned  by  a 
policeman,  or  challenged  by  a  sentinel,  every  time  he  is  per- 
plexed by  a  new  language,  or  puzzled  by  a  new  variety  of  coin- 
age or  currency, — he  thanks  his  God  with  fresh  fervency  that 
through  all  the  length  and  breadth  of  that  land,  beyond  the 
swelling  floods,  which  he  is  privileged  and  proud  to  call  his  own 
land,  there  is  a  common  language,  a  common  currency,  a  com- 
mon Constitution,  common  laws  and  liberties,  a  common  inher- 
itance of  glory  from  the  past,  and,  if  it  be  only  true  to  itself,  a 
common  destiny  of  glory  for  the  future  ! 


CHAPTEB   IX 

The  Law-Makers 

i.  Congress. — The  United  States  has  one  Legislature  for 
the  nat  ion  and  one  for  each  state. 

2.  The  national  Law-making  body  is  called  congress  (p. 
56),  and  meets  every  year  in  the  city  of  Washington.  The 
building  in  which  the  meetings  are  held  is  the  capitol — a 
magnificent  structure  of  freestone  ami  marble. 

3.  The  congress  consists  of  two  separate  bodies,  one 
called  the  sciuita  ami  the  other  the  house  of  representa- 
tives. Each  has  a  Large  and  beautiful  hall  in  the  capitol 
for  its  meetings. 

4.  The  senate  has  m>w  ninety  members,  two  from  each 
state.  The  state  Legislature  chooses  the  senators.  The 
term  of  office  is  six  years.  Bui  the  senators  do  not  all 
finish  their  terms  at  the  same  time.  If  they  did,  once 
each  six  years  there  would  he  an  entirely  new  senate  elected. 
Things  are  arranged  in  such  a  way.  however,  that  about 
one-third  of  the  senators  finish  their  terms  and  new  one-: 
are  chosen  in  their  place  every  two  years. 

5.  Some  of  the  most  famous  statesmen  have  been  sena- 
tors. John  Quincy  Adams.  Daniel  Webster,  and  Charles 
Sumner,  of  Massachusetts;  Henry  Clay,  of  Kentucky  ; 
John  ('.  Calhoun,  of  South  Carolina,  and  William  II. 
Seward,   of    New   York,   are   a    few   of    the   mosl    eminent. 


i-jn 


THE    YOUXG   AMERICAN 


6.  The  house  of  representatives  has  now  357  members. 
They  are  distributed  among  the  states  according  to  the 
number  of  people,  the  most  populous  slates  having  the 
largest  number,  but  every  state  having  at  least  one.  The 
state  of  New  York  has  thirty-four.  Delaware,  Idaho,  Mon- 
tana, Nevada,  North  Dakota,  Utah,  and  Wyoming  have  one 
each.    The  representatives  are  elected  by  the  people.    Each 


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CHAMBER  OP  THE  DOUSE  OP  REPRESENTATIVES  IN  THE  CAPITOL  AT  WASHINGTON 

state  which  has  more  than  one  is  divided  into  as  many 
districts  as  it  lias  representatives,  and  the  people  of  each 
district  make  their  choice  in  November  every  other  year. 
These  districts  are  numbered.  The  term  of  office  is  two 
years.  Thus  each  second  year  an  entirely  new  house  is 
chosen.     The  election  comes  in  November. 

7.  A  representative  is  often  called  a   coiKjrcssman,  or  a 


THE    Y(>i\ \n   AMERICAN  121 

member  of  congress.     A  member  of  the  Benate  is  called  a 
senator. 
8.  ( longress  meets  in  December  everj   year,  and  remains 

;it  work.  ••  in  session.*'  until  the  members  have  finished  all 
the  law-making  they  wish.  Then  the  congress  " adjourns" 
— that   is,  ends  the  session,  and  the  members  go  home. 

g.  Kadi  house  has  to  have  a  chairman,  whose  duty  it  is 
to  keep  order.  The  presiding  officer  of  the  senate  is  the 
vice-president  of  the  United  States  ((hap.  X,  £  15).  The 
representatives  elect  their  own  chairman,  who  is  called 
the  speaker.  Did  you  ever  attend  a  debating  society,  or 
a  public  meeting  of  any  sort  ?  If  so,  you  must  have  noticed 
that  some  one  had  to  preside.  He  was  called  perhaps  the 
■■  chairman  '*  or  the  "  president  *"  of  the  meeting.  In  con- 
gress it  is  just  the  same,  only  a  new  chairman  is  not  chosen 
each  day.  The  speaker  presides  in  the  lower  house  at 
every  meeting  of  the  two  years,  and  the  vice-president  may 
preside   in    the  senate   for  four  years. 

io.  We  have  seen  (in  Chap.  IV)  how  congress  makes 
laws.  These  laws,  when  made,  must  be  obeyed  by  every- 
body in  the  republic,  and  the  state  legislatures  must  make 
no  laws  which  interfere  with  the  laws  of  congress. . 

ii.  The  Senate. — The  senate  has  some  other  duties 
besides  helping  the  house  of  representatives  to  make  laws. 

12.  By  the  Constitution  the  president  of  the  United 
States  has  the  power  to  make  treaties  with  foreign  nation-. 
A  treaty  is  merely  an  agreement — what  business  men  call  a 
•'contract."  The  United  States  has  many  treaties  with 
the  principal  nation- of  the  world.  For  example,  in  1783, 
at  the  end  of  the  revolutionary  war.  Great   Britain  made  a 


1 22 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


treaty  with  the  United  States  in  which  agreements  were 
made  about  the  boundaries  between  Canada  and  the  new 
republic,  aboul  the  righl  of  Americans  to  catch  fish  near 
the  British  island  of  Newfoundland,  and  about  other  mat- 
ters. Now,  under  the  Constitution  no  treaty  which  the 
president  may  make  is  binding  unless  the  senate  approves 
it.     So  every  such  treaty  the  president  sends  to  the  senate, 


THE  SENATE  CHAMBER  IN  THE   CAPITOL  AT  WASHINGTON 

and  they  discuss  it.  and  then  take  a  vote  on  the  question  of 
approval. 

13.  The  president  also,  by  the  Constitution,  has  the  righl 
to  appoint  many  officers  of  the  United  States.  But  he  can 
make  no  such  appointment,  except  a  temporary  one.  unless 
the  senate  approves. 

14.  The    State    Legislatures. — Each   of    the  forty-five 


THE    TOUNO    AMERICA*  123 

states  also  has  a  Legislature,  which,  like  congress,  consists 
of  two  houses.     The  Btate  Legislature  is  sometimes  <  n  1 1<-« I 

by  some  special  iiaim — in  Illinois  it  is  the  general  assem- 
bly—  but  usually  ii  is  simply  the  legislature  The  upper 
house  is  always  called  the  senate,  like  the  upper  house 
of  congress.  The  lower  house  has  diH'erent  names.  In 
Maryland  it  is  the  house  of  delegates,  in  New  York  it  is 
the  assembly,  in  Virginia  it  is  the  house  of  burgesses.  In 
most  states,  however,  it  is  called  by  the  same  name  as  in 
congress — the  house  of  representatives. 

15.  The  members  of  each  house  of  the  state  Legislature 
are  elected  by  the  people.  The  state  is  divided  into  as 
many  senate  districts  as  there  are  senators,  and  usually 
also   into   as   many    representative   districts   as   there   are 

representatives.  The  people  of  each  senate  district  choose 
a  senator,  and  the  people  of  each  representative  district 
choose  a  representative. 

16.  In  Illinois  there  are  fifty-one  senate  districts  and  no 
representative  districts.  The  people  of  each  senate  district 
choose  one  senator  and  three  representatives.  Thus  the 
Illinois  Legislature  has  fifty-one  senators  and  one  hun- 
dred fifty-three  representatives.  The  number  of  senators 
and  members  of  the  lower  house  differs  in  the  different 
states.  The  same  is  true  about  the  term  of  office.  But 
there  are  always  fewer  senators  than  members  of  the  Lower 
house,  and  in  most  of  the  states  the  senators  an-  elected 
for  a  Longer  term. 

17.  In  some  states  the  legislature  meets  every  year,  in 
others  it   meets  only  once  in  two  years. 

18.  The  presiding  officer  of  the  state  senate  is  the  lieu- 


124  THE    YOUNG  AMERICAN 

tenant-governor,*  if  the  slate  has  one  (Chap.  XII).  If  not, 
then  the  senators  elect  their  chairman.  The  lower  house 
always  elects  its  own  speaker. 

19.  Each  state  has  a  constitution,  just  as  has  the  United 
States.  And  the  state  constitution  tells  what  the  legisla- 
ture may  and  may  not  do.  80  the  law-makers  are  not  free 
to  do  as  they  please.  They  must  make  no  law  which  inter- 
feres with  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  or  with  a 
law  of  congress,  or  with  the  state  constitution.  But  yet 
the  state  legislatures  make  a  very  large  number  of  laws 
every  time  they  meet.  Perhaps  it  would  he  quite  as  well 
if  they  made  fewer. 

20.  The  County  Law-Makers — Believing,  as  we  do. 
that  home  rule,  or  local  self-government,  is  a  good  thing, 
our  state  legislatures  leave  purely  local  matters,  as  far  as 
possihle,  for  the  people  of  each  smaller  neighborhood  to 
decide  as  they  please.  So  each  county  has  some  sort  of 
law-making  body,  usually  called  a  board.  If  the  county  is 
divided  into  towns,  the  people  of  each  town  may  choose 
a  supervisor,  and  all  the  supervisors  together  form  the 
county  board.  If  the  county  is  not  divided  into  towns, 
and  in  some  states  even  if  it  is,  the  county  board  consists 
of  a  few  men,  usually  three,  called  commissioners,  elected 
by  the  people  of  the  whole  county.  In  some  states  there 
is  no  county  board  at  all. 

21.  The  business  done  by  a  county  board  is  different  in 
different  states.  They  may  allow  a  toll  road  or  a  toll  bridge 
to  be  built ;  they  provide  for  such  county  buildings  as  are 
needed — a  jail,  for  instance,   and  offices  for   the  various 

*  In  Massachusetts  the  president  of  the  senate  is  elected. 


THE    YOTJNQ   AMERICAN  125 

county  officers — and  they  decide  whai  tax  the  people  Bhall 
pay  in  order  to  provide  for  doing  the  county  business. 

22.  Village  and  City  Law-Makers. — A  village  is  an- 
other ueighborl I  which  is  allowed  t<>  make  its  own  local 

laws.  The  people  of  the  village  usually  eled  a  "  board  " 
sometimes  called  "trustees" — to  manage  village  husiness. 
And  these  trustees  make  such  rules — usually  called  "ordi- 
nances "—as  they  think  proper.  Bui  ordinances  are  really 
laws.  People  must  ohey  them,  just  as  they  must  obey  the 
laws  made  by  the  state  legislature. 

23.  A  city.  too.  has  a  law-making  body — the  •■council" 
it  is  usually  called — whose  members  are  often  known  as 
"  aldermen. "  In  some  cities  the  city  legislature  i-  a 
double  body,  like  congress  and  the  state  legislatures.  In 
others  there  is  hut  one  house.  Often  the  members  are 
chosen  from  the  wards.  In  the  city  of  Chicago,  for  ex- 
ample, the  "common  council"  consists  of  sixty-eight 
aldermen,  two  being  chosen  by  the  people  of  each  ward. 

24.  'The  city  council  makes  laws — ''ordinances"  they 
are  called — aboul  all  manner  of  things  not  covered  by  the 
laws  of  the  state  and  the  nat  ion. 


CHAPTER   X 

How  Laws  Are  Enforced 

i.  Policemen. — If  you  live  in  a  city,  or  have  visited  a 
city,  you  have  often  seen  a  policeman.  His  blue  uniform 
and  his  club  are  familiar  sights  in  the  streets.  What  is  his 
business  ?  Why,  merely  to  see  that  people  do  not  break 
the  laws.  There  are  laws  forbidding  stealing,  setting  fire 
to  houses,  driving  too  rapidly  in  crowded  streets,  and  many 
other  things.  The  policeman  looks  out  for  offenders 
against  the  laws,  and  if  he  finds  a  man  doing  an  unlawful 
act,  arrests  him  and  takes  him  to  the  station  house. 

2.  In  a  village  or  a  farming  neighborhood  a  police  force 
is  not  necessary.  But  the  village  "constable*'  is  an  officer 
who  arrests  village  law-breakers,  and  takes  them  to  the 
"lockup"  for  safe-keeping.  And  the  county  "sheriff" 
and  bis  deputies  in  like  manner  may  make  arrests  anywhere 
in  a  county. 

3.  So  we  see  that  the  policeman,  the  constable,  and  the 
sheriff  are  all  officers  witli  the  same  duties.  They  try  to 
prevent  law-breaking  and  they  arrest  law-breakers.  Any 
one  of  these  officials  is  often  familiarly  called  an  "officer." 

4.  Some  Other  Public  Officers. —  Hut  there  is  another 
kind  of  public  office]-.  In  a  city  the  postman  is  a  figure 
often  seen  as  he  hurries  on   his   rounds,  clad   in  blue-gray 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  127 

uniform  and  carrying  a  leather  Back  of  mail  slung  over  hie 
shoulder.  In  villages  the  postman  is  3eldom  found,  bul 
every  one  knows  the  f<  postmaster,"  who  takes  care  of  the 
mail.  The  tillage  post-office  is  of  ten  ina  store,  and  people 
gather  there  to  gel  their  letters  and  papers  when  the  mail 
coined.  And  both  in  city  and  village,  as  well  as  in  rural 
districts,  the  public-school  teacher  is  busy  everywhere  in 
the  republic. 

5.  The  postman,  the  postmaster,  and  the  public-school 
teacher  are' all  public  officers.  But,  unlike  the  policeman 
and  the  sheriff,  their  duty  is  nol  to  prevenl  wrong-doing 
and  arresl  wrong-doers.  It  is  to  do  work  for  the  public, 
bul  of  quite  another  kind — work  very  importanl  fur  the 
public  convenience  and   the  public  intelligence. 

6.  We  see.  tlieii.  that  there  a  re  twn  kind-  of  laws  which 
are  made  by  our  law-makers.  One  kind,  like  the  law  for- 
bidding stealing,  is  a  set  of  rules  for  the  conduct  of  people. 
telling  what  things  must  not  lie  done.  And  when  the  law- 
maker- have  made  such  law.-,  one  pact  of  the  administra- 
tion is  busy  see  in--  to  it  that  people  obey,  or  are  punished 
it'  they  disobey.  The  other  kind  of  law-  provides  for 
doing  the  public  business  -such  things  as  carrying  the 
mail,  teaching  school,  and  gathering  ami  distributing  the 
nioiie\    which  it   take-  to  carry  on  the  government. 

7.  This  last  part  of  the  public  business  is  very  important. 
Money  has  to  he  had  to  pay  the  many  public  servants. 
This  money  the  people  pay  to  the  government.  These 
payment- are  called  "taxes."  haw-  arc  made  telling  who 
shall  pa\  taxes  and  how  much,  and  for  what  purposes  the 
money  shall    he   used.      And    many  public   officers   are   busy 


128 


Till-:    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


collecting  the  tuxes  and    paying  out  the  money  according 
to  law. 

8.  All  these  officers  of  every  kind  who  art'  busy  carrying 
out  the  laws  belong  to  the  government  and  to  what  is 
called  its  •"administrative"  branch. 

9.  The  President. — The  head  of  the  federal  adminis- 
tration is  the  president  of  the  United  States. 

10.  The  president  of  a  republic  like  ours  tills  very  nearly 
the  place  of  a  king  or  emperor  in  a  monarchy.  The  presi- 
dent is  the  republican  king.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  people  choose  their 
president  for  themselves,  and  he  holds 
his  office  only  four  years.  To  be  sure, 
if  the  people  like  him  he  may  be  chosen 


THE    WASHINGTON    MONUMENT 

This  stately  memorial  of  the  first  president  is  an  imposing  obelisk  of  white  marble 
and  granite,  five  hundred  feet  high  and  fifty-five  feet  square  at  the  base,  standing  near 
the  Potomac,  not  far  from  the  White  House,  in  the  city  of  Washington.  The  walls  are 
fifteen  feet  thick,  thus  leaving  a  great  hollow  within,  througli  which  an  elevator  takes 
passengers  to  the  top.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  in  1848,  but  the  great  work  was  not 
completed  until  1885.  The  venerable  Robert  C.  WTinthrop.  of  Massachusetts,  who 
delivered  the  oration  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone,  performed  the  same  part  at  the 
dedication  of  the  monument  in  1885.  We  quote  a  few  sentences  from  Winthrop's 
oration  in  1848  :  "  Lay  the  corner-stone  of  a  monument  which  shall  adequately  bespeak 
the  gratitude  of  the  whole  American  people  to  the  illustrious  Father  of  his  Country. 
Build  it  to  the  skies  ;  you  cannot  outreach  the  loftiness  of  his  principles  !  Found  it 
upon  the  massive  and  eternal  rock  1  you  cannot  make  it  more  enduring  than  his  fame  ! 
Construct  it  of  the  peerless  Parian  marble;  you  cannot  make  it  purer  than  Ids  life! 
Exhaust  upon  it  the  rules  ami  principles  of  ancient  and  modern  art  :  you  cannot  make 
it  more  proportionate  than  his  character  !  " 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  129 

again   for    another  four   years,  as    indeed    several   of  our 
presidents  have  been. 

n.  The  first  president  was  (ieorge  Washington,  the 
famous  and  beloved  general  of  the  revolutionary  armies. 
He  was  chosen  Eor  a  second  term,  and  would  have  been 
chosen  a  third  time  bul  that  he  refused.  He  was  one  of 
the  wisest  ami  besl  presidents  we  have  had.  Since  his 
time  no  president    has  been  elected   more  than  twice. 

12.  In  electing  a  president  the  people  do  not  vote  for 
him  by  name.  In  each  state  the  people  vote  for  a  number 
of  men  as  " electors. "  And  the  electors  chosen  in  this 
way  in  the  various  states  select  the  president.  But.  in  fact, 
the  electors  of  eaeh  state  always  know  whom  the  people 
of  that  state  want  for  president,  and  are  very  careful  to 
vote  for  him  and  for  no  one  else.  Each  state  has  as  many 
electors  as  it  lias  members  of  both  houses  of  congress. 
Thus  no  state  has  less  than  three  electors.  New  York  has 
thirty-six.  At  present  all  the  states  together  have  four 
hundred  forty-seven  electors,  so  that  two  hundred  twenty- 
four  of  them  must  vote  for  the  same  candidate  in  order  to 
elect   him. 

13.  The  president  has  great  power.  lie  appoints  many 
of  the  public  officers,  all  of  the  most  important  ones.  He 
commands  the  national  soldier-  and  the  sailors  of  the 
national  warships.  His  salary  is  sC.u.iniu  a  year,  and  the 
nation  furnishes  him  a  residence  at  the  city  of  Washington 
—the  ••  White   House." 

14.  The  president's  four-year  term  of  office  begins  on  the 
fourth  of  March.  On  that  day  there  are  very  elaborate 
ceremonies  at    Washington.      The  new  president,    accom- 

9 


130 


THE    YOUXG    AMKIITCAX 


panied  by  the  president  whose  term  is  ending,  goes  in  pro- 
cession, escorted  by  military  and  with  martial  music,  to  the 
magnificent  marble  capitol,  in  winch  the  congress  meets. 
Standing  in  the  open  air  on  the  great  eastern  portico,  in 
presence  of  the  principal  officers  of  the  government,  the 
ministers  representing  foreign  nations,  a  brilliant  group  of 


THE  PRESIDENT'S   HOUSE   AT   WASHINGTON 

This  simple  and  beautiful  building,  commonly  called  the  "White  House,"  is  con- 
structed of  Virginia  freestone.  President  Washington  himself  selected  the  site,  laid  the 
corner-stone  (October  13,  1792),  and  lived  to  see  the  completed  edifice.  It  is  said  that 
with  his  wife  he  walked  through  the  rooms  but  a  few  days  before  his  death,  in  1799. 
President  John  Adams  was  its  flrstoccupant,  in  1800.  In  1814  the  house  was  burned 
by  the  British,  and  only  the  walls  were  left  standing.  When  rebuilt,  the  stone  was 
painted  white,  to  conceal  the  marks  of  fire.  The  White  House  is  the  residence  of  the 
president  and  his  family,  and  also  contains  his  office. 


invited  guests,  and  an  immense  multitude  which  throngs 
every  foot  of  ground  in  sight,  the  new  president  takes 
the  oath  of  office.  He  solemnly  swears  to  defend  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  and  faithfully  to  perform 
his  duties.  Then  the  new  president  delivers  to  the  great 
audience  an  address,  explaining  how  lie  thinks  the  gov- 
ernment   ought,    to    he    managed.       The   procession     then 


THE    YOUNG    .1  MERICAN  131 

escorts  the  new  president  to  his  home  in  the  \\  hite  1 1  *  ►  1 1  - ■  - . 
These  ceremonies  are  called  the  inauguration  of  the 
president . 

15.  The  Vice-President. —  If  the  presidenl  should  die 
before  the  four  years  of  his  term  should  be  ended,  it  would 
leave  t lie  federal  administration  without  a  head.  To  have 
another  election  so  soon  would  be  troublesome  and  expen- 
sive. So  the  ( 'oust  it  nt  ion  provides  thai  the  electors,  al  the 
same  time  they  elect  a  president,  shall  also  choose  another 
man  as  vice-president  of  the  CTnited  States.  The  vice- 
president  must  not  live  in  the  same  state  as  the  president. 
His  duly  is  merely  to  be  chairman  of  the  senate.  But  in 
case  the  presidenl  dies,  or  in  any  other  way  there  should 
be  no  president,  the  vice-president  at  once  ceases  to  preside 
ill  the  senate  and  performs  the  duties  of  president. 

16.  Four  times  in  our  history  a  presidenl  has  died  in 
office,  and  the  vice-president  has  succeeded  to  the  chief 
place.  In  1  s4 1  William  Henry  Barrison became  president. 
General  Harrison  was  an  old  man  who  had  made  a  brilliant 
record  as  a  leader  of  the  American  armies  in  war  againsl 
the  [ndians,  and  in  the  second  war  with  Greal  Britain,  in 
1812.  Only  one  month  after  the  inauguration  Presidenl 
Harrison  died.  The  vice-president  was  John  Tyler,  of  Vir- 
ginia, who  t bus  became  president. 

17.  The  second  president  to  die  was  Zacharj  Taylor,  who 
also  had  been  a  gallanl  soldier.  General  Taylor  was  inau- 
gurated in  1st'.',  and  died  in  L850.  lb-  was  succeeded  by 
Vice-Presidenl  Millard  Fillmore,  of  New  York. 

18.  Aliraham  Lincoln,  of  Illinois,  became  presidenl  in 
March,    L861.      Almost    immediately    after   bis    inaugura- 


132 


THE    YOUNG    AM  ERIC  AX 


GENERAL  ULYSSES  S.  GRANT 

U.  S.  Grant  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1832.  He  was 
educated  at  West  Point,  and  served  several  years 
in  the  army  as  lieutenant  and  captain.  In  1854  he 
resigned  his  commission  to  engage  in  business. 
When  the  civil  war  broke  out,  in  1861,  he  was  made 
colonel  of  an  Illinois  regiment.  He  soon  proved 
an  able  commander,  winning  many  victories,  and 
was  promoter]  repeatedly,  until  in  1864  he  was 
made  commander  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United 
States.  It  was  to  him  that  General  Lee  surrendered 
in  isr,.",.  [n  1868  General  Grant  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  lie  was  reelected  in 
1873.  He  died  in  1885.  A  fine  monument  has  been 
erected  to  his  memory  in  the  City  of  New  York. 


tion  the  republic  be- 
came involved  in  a 
great  civil  war.  Ten 
states,  dissatisfied  with 
the  Union,  withdrew 
and  formed  a  new  re- 
public of  their  own. 
But  President  Lin- 
coln, supported  by  the 
rest  of  the  states,  de- 
nied the  right  of  any 
state  to  leave  the 
Union.  Armies  were 
formed  on  both  sides, 
and,  as  was  said,  a  ter- 
rible war  resulted — a 
war  which  lasted  for 
four  years.  Before  it 
was  ended  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  elected  for  a 
second  term,  and  was 
inaugurated  in  March, 
1SG5.  Within  a  few 
weeks  the  war  came  to 
an  end  by  the  victory 
of  the  national  armies. 
And  amid  the  excite- 
ment a  fanatical  sym- 
pathizer with  the  los- 
ing   side,    assassinated 


THE    VOUNQ   AMERICAN 


138 


the   president.     The  vice-presideni    was   Andrew  Johnson, 
of  Tennessee,  who  then  became  president. 

19.  A  second  presidenf   to  be  murdered,  and  the  fourth 
to  die  while  in  office,  was  James  A.  Garfield.     Mr.  Garfield 


Prom  '•  Leslie's  Weekly  " 

THE   (JUANT    MONUMENT    AS   IT   NOW    APPEARS 


was  inaugurated  as  president  in  March,  1881.  A  few 
months  afterwards  he  was  shot  by  a  half-crazy  office- 
seeker.  The  president  lingered  for  some  weeks.  As  soon 
as  he  died,  the  vice-president,  Chester  A.  Arthur,  of  New 
York,  took  the  oath  of  otliee  as  president. 


134 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 


20.  Thus  four  limes  in  our  history  a  president  has  died, 
twice,  sad  to  say.  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin.  So  four 
times  a  vice-president  has  become  president. 

21.  If  the  president  and  vice-president  should  both  die, 
the  laws  provide  that  the  secretary  of  state  (p.  137)  should 

fl  succeed  to  the  office. 

If  he  also  should  die, 
the  secretary  of  the 
treasury  acts  as 
president,  and  thus 
the  office  would  pass 

0  n  th  r  o  u  gh  th  e 
president's  cabinet 
in  case  of  succes- 
sive deaths  (p.  139). 

22.  The  Battle 
of  Gettysburg.  — 
One  of  the  greatest 

1  tattles  of  the  civil 
war  was  that  at  Get- 
tysburg, in  the  state 
of  Pennsylvania,  in 
July,  1863.  The 
Confederate  army, 
commanded  by  Gen- 
eral Robert  E.  Lee,  had  crossed  the  Potomac  River  and 
was  invading  the  northern  states.  The  Union  army, 
under  General  George  G.  Meade,  followed  close  after,  and 
at  Gettysburg  Lee  turned  on  his  enemy  and  attempted  to 
destroy    him.       The   battle  raged  fiercely  for   three   days, 


ROBERT   E.   LEE 

General  Lee  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1807.  He  was 
an  officer  in  the  Unite:!  Slates  army,  but  when  Vir- 
ginia seceded  he  resigned  his  commission  and  cast  in 
his  fortunes  with  his  native  state  and  the  South. 
Through  most  of  the  civil  war  he  commanded  the 
Confederate  armies,  winning  high  fame  as  an  able 
general  and  as  a  man  of  pure  and  earnest  character. 
After  the  war  he  became  president  of  Washington 
College,  at  Lexington,  Virginia.     Here  he  died  in  1870. 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN  135 

being  fought  on  hoih  sides  with  determined  coura 
The  Confederates  railed  in  their  attack,  and  were  com- 
pelled to  retreal  to  Virginia.  The  many  thousands  of 
Union  soldiers  who  were  killed  were  buried  in  a  national 
cemeterj  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  in  November,  L863, 
this  cemetery  was  formally  dedicated  to  its  sacred  pur- 
pose. A  pari  of  the  ceremonies  was  an  address  by  the 
president  of  the  United  States,  Abraham  Lincoln.  This 
brief  but  most  eloquenl  speech  of  the  greal  war  president 
follows  in  full  : 

Lincoln's    Gettysburg-   Address,  November  19,   1863 

Fourscore  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought  forth 
on  this  continent  a  new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty,  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created  equal.  Now 
we  are  engaged  in  a  greal  civil  war.  testing  whether  that  nation. 
or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long  endure. 
We  are  met  <>n  a  great  battle-field  of  thai  war.  We  have  come 
to  dedicate  a  portion  of  that  field  as  a  final  resting  place  for 
those  who  here  gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  mighl  live.  It 
is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this.  Bui  in 
a  larger  sense  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we 
cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men.  living  and  dead, 
who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  power  to 
add  or  del  fact.  The  world  will  little  note,  nor  Ion-'  remember, 
what  we  say  here,  hut  it  can  never  forget  what  they  did  here. 
It  is  for  us,  the  living,  rather  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  un- 
timshed  work  which  they  who  fought  here  have  thus  far  so 
nobly    advanced.       It   is  rather   for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the 

great  task  remaining  before  us.  that  from  these  honored  dead 

we  take   increased  devotion   to  that   cause  for  which   they  gave 


136  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

the  last  full  measure  of  devotion;  that  we  here  highly  resolve 
that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  ;  that  this  nation, 
under  God,  shall  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom,  and  that  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  people,  shall  not 
perish  from  the  earth. 


UNITED  STATES  SAILORS 


CHAPTER  XI 
The  President's   Cabinet 

i.  Cabinet  Officers. — The  officers  \\li<>.  under  the  presi- 
dent, carry  on  the  work  of  the  national  administration  are 
grouped  in  departments,  a1  the  head  of  each  <>f  which  is  a 
greal  officer,  usually  called  a  .wnrfary.  There  are  eighl 
of  these  departments,  and  tin*  ei^ht  head-  form  the  presi- 
dent's ••  ( -a I iii id."  Regular  meetings  of  the  cahinel  are  held 
with  the  president,  a1  which  the  most  importanl  business 
is  talked  over.  The  presidenl  is  not  obliged  to  act  as  the 
cahinel  advises,  bul  it  is  very  useful  for  him  to  have  such  a 
body  of  men  with  whom  to  consult.  'The  members  of  the 
cahiuct  are  appointed  by  the  president,  and  usually  resign 
their  offices  when  his  term  is  ended.  So  each  president 
has  a  cabinel  of  his  own  selection.  To  be  sure,  the  senate 
has  the  righl  to  be  consulted  in  the  appointment  of  cabinet 
officers.  Bui  the  president's  nominations  are  rarely  dis- 
approved. Each  of  the  eighl  departments  has  charge  of 
important  affairs. 

2.  The  Department  of  State.  The  government  of  the 
United  states  often  has  to  send  messages  to  the  govern- 
ment of  France  or  Great  Britain  or  Germany  or  some 
other  country,  and  quite  as  often  receives  messages  from 
some  foreign  government.  In  this  way  business  is  going 
on  continually  among  the  governments  of  all  the  nations. 


138 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


The  department  of  our  government  which  does  this  branch 
of  the  public  business  is  the  department  of  state,  and  its 
head  is  the  secretary  of  state.  This  secretary  has  a  number 
of  assistants  at  Washington.  But,  besides  these,  there  are 
agents  in  foreign  countries.  In  each  foreign  capital  is  a 
gentleman  who  is  known  as  minister,  or  ambassador,  of  the 


NATIONAL   OFFICES    BUIl/DING    AT   WASHINGTON— STATE,  VVAU,  AND    NAVY 

DEPARTMENTS 

Tliis  vast  but  not  very  beautiful  building  contains  the  offices  of  the  secretaries 
above  named  anil  of  their  numerous  assistants.  It  is  fire-proof,  as  its  archives  are  of 
priceless  value.  Here  may  be  seen  the  original  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  origi- 
nal Constitution  of  the  United  States,  the  sword  of  Washington,  a  silver  set  presented 
to  Captain  Isaac  Hull  by  citizens  of  Philadelphia  in  1812  in  honor  of  his  capture  of  the 
Guerridre,  and  many  other  deeply  interesting  relics. 

United  States.  He  discusses  the  business  of  the  United 
States  with  the  government  of  the  country  in  which  he 
lives,  keeps  up  a  regular  correspondence  with  the  secretary 
of  state  at  Washington,  giving  information  and  receiving 
instructions.  At  public  ceremonies  the  ministers  of  the 
various  nations  are  always  invited  and  treated  with  great 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  139 

respect.  The  ministers  of  European  nations  on  such  occa- 
sions are  accustomed  to  wear  an  elaborate  uniform,  brilliant 
in  colors  and  glittering  with  gold.  The  American  min- 
isters, however,  usually  dress  in  plain  black,  as  becomes 
representatives  of  a  republic. 

3.  [n  nearly  every  important  foreign  city  lives  another 
agent  of  the  state  department,  called  a  consul.  He  looks 
out  for  the  business  interests  of  American  merchants  and 
sailors.  It'  von  should  he  traveling  in  Europe  or  South 
America  and  should  he  in  difficulty,  the  American 
consul  would  be  the  one  to  whom  to  apply  for  assist- 
ance. He  would  not  let  one  of  his  countrymen  he  treated 
badly. 

4.  Foreign  nations,  in  like  manner,  have  at  Washington 
ambassadors  or  ministers,  who  carry  on  their  business  with 
our  government  through  the  secretary  of  state.  Foreign 
consuls,  too.  are  found  in  all  our  principal  cities. 

5.  The  War  Department. —  Every  nation  in  the  world 
has  an  army.  The  number  of  soldiers  in  different  coun- 
tries varies,  to  he  sure.  France  and  Germany  have  each 
a  halt'  million  men  always  under  arms,  while  the  United 
States  has  only  about  25,000. 

6.  Wny  is  it  necessary  to  keep  soldiers  ?  Merely  because 
nations  cannot  always  settle  their  disputes  peaceably.  If 
two  men  cannot  agree  on  a  question  <>t"  business,  they  can 
have  the  matter  decided  by  a  court  of  law.  And  what- 
ever the  court  may  decide  must  he  obeyed.  It'  tin'  two 
disputants  should  try  to  settle  their  quarrel  by  a  fight,  they 
would  lie  very  apt  to  find  I  hem-elves  in  jail.  But  nations 
unfortunately  have  no  such  means  of  keeping  order  and  of 


mi  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

determining  justice.     So  each  nation  has  to  protect  itself. 
Ami  the  army  is  the  means  of  national  defense. 

7.  Besides  this,  there  are  sometimes  riots  and  insurrec- 
tions which  the  police  are  not  able  to  put  down.  Then 
the  soldiers  must  give  their  help. 

8.  So  an  army  is  necessary  for  the  protection  of  a  nation 
against  attack  from  abroad,  and  also  to  keep  order — in  other 
words,  to  see  to  it  that  the  laws  are  obeyed  at  home. 

9.  The  army  of  the  United  States  is  small,  partly  because 
we  have  little  fear  of  being  attacked  and  partly  because 
each  state  also  keeps  soldiers.  The  state  soldiers  are  usu- 
ally called  the  "national  guard."  We  shall  speak  about 
them  later. 

10.  Our  republic  has  had  several  wars,  in  which  the 
army  was  very  necessary.  As  you  will  remember,  it  was  by 
the  war  of  the  revolution  that  we  won  our  independence 
from  England,  and  so  became  a  free  republic.  In  that  war 
— a  war  which  lasted  eight  years — British  armies  invaded 
our  country,  but  after  many  bloody  battles  they  were 
finally  driven  away.  General  George  Washington  com- 
manded the  American  soldiers  throughout  this  war,  and 
he  was  aided  by  French  soldiers  who  came  across  the  ocean 
to  help  us. 

11.  In  1813  we  had  a  second  war  with  England,  which 
lasted  two  years. 

12.  In  1846  we  most  unfortunately  were  drawn  into  a 
war  with  our  sister  republic,  Mexico.  This  also  lasted  two 
years.  The  American  armies  invaded  Mexico,  won  many 
battles,  ami  thus  compelled  the  Mexicans,  in  making  peace, 
to  give  up  a  large  territory  to  the  United  States. 


THE    TOUNO    AMERICAN  Ml 

13.  In  L861,  saddesl  of  all,  we  bad  a  war  among  our- 
selves— a  civil  war.  Several  of  the  southern  Btates,  as  we 
have  Been  (p.  L31),  being  dissatisfied  with  the  Union,  at- 
tempted to  withdraw  from  it  ami  to  form  a  new  republic, 
which  the}  called  the  Confederate  State-  of  America.  Bui 
the  resl  of  the  people  refused  to  permit  the  old  Onion  to 
be  destroyed.  Large  armies  were  formed  on  both  sides, 
and  many  desperate  battles  wen-  fought.  At  length,  after 
four  years  of  war.  the  CTnion  armies  wm'  notorious. 

14.  The  management  of  an  army,  even  in  time  of  peace, 
takes  much  time  and  work.  The  president  of  the  United 
States  is  by  the  ('(institution  the  chief  commander  of  the 
army.  But  the  details  of  its  management  are  left  to  one 
of  the  cabinet,  the  secretary  of  war.  Ee  is  the  head  of  the 
war  department,  which  includes  a  number  of  assistants  and 
clerks. 

15.  The  war  department  conducts  a  military  school  at 
West  Point,  on  the  Eudson  River.  Each  member  of  the 
national  house  of  representatives  has  the  privilege  of  nam- 
ing one  hoy  as  a  candidate  for  admission  to  the  military 
academy,  and  a  few  are  named  by  the  president.*  The-. 
candidates,  however,  have  to  pass  an  examination,  both  as 
to  their  knowledge  and  as  to  their  bodily  health  and 
strength,  he  fore  they  can  become  ••cadets."  as  the  students 
at  West  Point  are  called.  Those  who  succeed  in  passing 
through  the  four  years  of  severe  study  required  in  tin- 
academy,  are  appointed  to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant  in 
the  army.     The   military  academy   is  an   excellent    school, 

*  Tin-  law  requires  thai  appointments  be  made  by  the  president  <>f  the  United  St 
But  tin-  president  permits  representatives  i"  Dame  candidal  -.  anil  in  many  districts  .1 
competitive  examination  i-  held,  tin-  boy  who  does  the  '■•  si  being  nominated. 


142  THE    YOUNG  AMERICAN 

and    keeps    our   army    supplied    with    very    well    trained 
officers. 

16.  Since  the  close  of  the  civil  war  the  active  duty  of 
the  army  has  consisted  mostly  in  keeping  the  Indians  in 
order.  We  shall  have  more  to  say  of  this  when  we  come 
to  speak  of  the  American  Indians. 

17.  Three  War  Poems. — Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe  once 
visited  the  camps  of  the  Union  army  in  Virginia  during 
the  civil  war.  and  on  her  return  wrote  the  poem  known 
as  the  ''Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic/'  Mrs.  Howe  has 
been  active  through  many  years  as  an  author  and  lecturer. 
Perhaps  this  is  her  best  known  poem. 

18.  Lord  Byron,  a  famous  English  poet,  who  translated 
the  "  Greek  War  Song,"  sympathized  so  warmly  with  the 
Greeks  in  their  war  of  independence  against  the  tyrannical 
Turks  that  he  not  only  gave  them  money,  but  went  in  per- 
son to  share  in  the  war.  He  died  in  Greece  in  1824,  before 
the  war  was  ended. 

19.  Theodore  0 Tiara,  an  American  soldier  in  the  Mexi- 
can war,  wrote  "The  Bivouac  of  the  Dead"  in  1847,  for 
the  dedication  of  a  cemetery  devoted  to  the  Kentuckians 
who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista. 

20.  These  three  poems  are  grouped  here  as  expressing 
different  phases  of  emotion  aroused  by  the  stern  realities 
of  war. 


Till-:    )  i)l' NO   AMERICAN  143 

Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic 
.In, i  \  W  led  Howe 

Mink  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord  : 

llr  is  trampling  out  tin-  vintage  where  the  grapes  of   wrath  are 

stored  ; 
1  Le  hath  loosed  the  fateful  lightning  of  1  lis  terrible  swift  sword : 
His  truth  is  marching  on. 

I  have  seen  Him  in  the  watch-fires  of  a  hundred  circling  camps ; 
They  have    builded   Him  an  altar  in  the  evening  dews  and 

damps  ; 
I  can  read  His  rightei  »us  sentence  hy  the  dim  and  flaring  lamps  : 
1  lis  day  is  marching  on. 

I  have  read  a  fiery  gospel,  writ  in  burnished  rows  of  steel  : 
"As  ye  deal  with  My  contemners,  so  My  grace  with  you  shall 

deal  :" 
Let  the  Hero,  horn  of  woman,  crush  the  serpenl  with  his  heel. 
Since  ( iod  is  marching  on." 


'6 


He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet    that  shall  never  call  retreat 
He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  he  fore  His  judgment-seal  : 
Oh  !  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  Him  !  be  jubilant,  my  feel  ! 
<  hir  ( lod  is  marching  on. 


- 


In  the  beauty  of  the  lilies  ( !hrisl  was  horn  across  the  sea, 
With  a  glory  in  His  bosom  that  transfigures  you  and  me  : 
As  He  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men  five. 
While  God  is  marching  on. 


144  THE   YOUNQ   AMERICAN 

A  Greek  War  Song 
Translated  from  the  Greehby  Lord  Byron 

Sons  of  the  Greeks,  arise  ! 

The  glorious  hour  's  gone  forth, 
And,  worthy  of  such  ties, 

Display  who  gave  us  birth. 

Chorus 
Sous  of  Greeks  !  let  us  go 
In  arms  against  the  foe 
Till  their  hated  blood  shall  flow- 
In  a  river  past  our  feet. 

Then  manfully  despising 

The  Turkish  tyrant's  yoke, 
Let  your  country  see  you  rising, 

And  all  her  chains  are  broke, 
Brave  shades  of  chiefs  and  sages, 

Behold  the  coming  strife  ! 
Hellenes  of  past  ages, 

Oh,  start  again  to  life  ! 
At  the  sound  of  my  trumpet,  breaking 

Your  sleep,  oh,  join  with  me  ! 
And  the  seven  hilled  city  *  seeking, 

Fight,  conquer,  till  we're  i'ree. 
Chokis 

Sparta,  Sparta,  why  in  slumbers 

Lethargic  dost  thou  lie  '. 
Awake,  and  join  thy  numbers 

Willi  Athens,  old  ally  ! 

*  Constantinople. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN  145 

Leonidas  recalling, 

Thai  chief  of  ancienl  song, 
Who  saved  thee  once  from  falling, 

Tin-  terrible  '.  the  strong  : 
Wliu  made  thai  1»< >1<  1  diversion 

1 11  uliI  Thermopylae, 
Ami  warring  with  the  Persian 

To  keep  his  country  free  ; 
With  his  three  hundred  waffinff 

The  battle,  long  he  stood. 
Ami  like  a  lion  raging, 

Expired  in  seas  of  blood. 
Chorus 


The   Bivouac  of  the   Dead 
Theodore  <  >'II  u;  \ 

The  muffled  drum's  sad  roll  has  boat 

The  soldier's  hist  tattoo  : 
No  more  on  life's  parade  shall  meel 

That  brave  ami  fallen  few. 
( )n  Fame's  eternal  camping-ground 

Their  silent  tents  are  spread, 
An. I  Grlory  guards,  with  solemn  round. 

The  bivouac  of  the  dead. 

No  rumor  of  tin-  foe's  advance 

Now  swells  upon  the  wind  ; 

No  troubled   though!  ;it  midnight  haunts 

(  )f  loved  ones  lift  behind  : 
in 


146  THE   YOUNO    AMERICAN 

No  vision  of  the  morrow's  strife 
The  warrior's  dream  alarms  ; 

No  braying  horn  nor  screaming  life 
At  dawn  shall  call  to  arms. 

Their  shivered  swords  are  red  with  rust. 

Their  plumed  heads  are  bowed  ; 
Their  haughty  banner,  trailed  in  dust. 

Is  now  their  martial  shroud. 
And  plenteous  funeral  tears  have  washed 

The  red  stains  from  each  brow, 
And  the  proud  forms,  by  battle  gashed, 

Are  free  from  anguish  now. 

The  neighing  troop,  the  flashing  blade, 

The  bugle's  stirring  blast. 
The  charge,  the  dreadful  cannonade, 

The  din  and  shout,  are  past ; 
No  wrar's  wild  note  nor  glory's  peal 

Shall  thrill  with  fierce  delight 
Those  breasts  that  nevermore  may  feel 

The  rapture  of  the  fight. 

Like  the  fierce  northern  hurricane 

That  sweeps  his  great  plateau. 
Flushed  with  the  triumph  yet  to  gain. 

Came  down  the  serried  foe. 
Who  heard  the  thunder  of  the  fray 

Break  o'er  the  field  beneath, 
Knew  well  the  watchword  of  thai  day 

Was  "Victory  or  death," 


THE    WUNQ   AMERICAN  147 

Long  had  the  doubtful  conflicl  raged 

I  )'cr  .-ill  that  stricken  plain. 
For  never  fiercer  fighl  had  waged 

The  vengeful  blood  of  Spain  ; 
And  still  the  storm  of  battle  blew, 

Still  sw elled  the  gory  tide  ; 
Not  long,  our  stout  old  chieftain  knew. 

Such  odds  his  strength  could  bide. 

'Twas  in  that  hour  his  stern  command 

Called  to  a  martyr's  grave 
The  flower  of  his  beloved  land. 

The  nation's  flag  t<>  save. 
By  rivers  of  their  fathers'  "/ore 

His  first-born  laurels  grew, 
And  well  lie  deemed  the  sous  would  pour 

Their  lives  for  ".lory  too. 

Full  many  a  norther's  breath  has  swepl 

(  )'er  Angostura's  plain  — 
And  long  the  pit\  Lng  sky  has  wept 

Above  its  mouldered  slain. 
The  raven's  scream,  or  eagle's  flight, 

Or  shepherd's  pensive  lay, 
Alone  awakes  each  sullen  height 

That  frowned  o'er  that  dread  fray. 


Sons  of  the  Park  and  Bloody  ({round. 

Ye  musl  not  slumber  there. 
Where  stranger  steps  and  tongues  resound 

Along  the  heedless  air. 


148  THE    YOUNQ  AMERICAN 

Youi'  own  proud  land's  heroic  soil 

Shall  be  your  fitter  grave  ; 
She  claims  from  war  his  richest  spoil— 

The  ashes  of  her  brave. 

Thus  neath  their  parent  turf  they  rest, 

Far  from  the  gory  field, 
Borne  to  a  Spartan  mother's  breast 

On  many  a  bloody  shield  ; 
The  sunshine  of  their  native  sky 

Smiles  sadly  on  them  here, 
And  kindred  eyes  and  hearts  watch  by 

The  heroes'  sepulchre. 

Rest  on,  embalmed  and  sainted  dead  ! 

Dear  as  the  blood  ye  gave, 
No  impious  footstep  here  shall  tread 

The  herbage  of  your  grave  ; 
Nor  shall  your  glory  be  forgot 

While  Fame  her  record  keeps, 
Or  Honor  points  the  hallowed  spot 

Where  Valor  proudly  sleeps. 

Yon  marble  minstrel's  voiceless  stone 

In  deathless  song  shall  tell, 
When  many  a  vanished  age  hath  flown 

The  story  how  ye  fell  ; 
Nor  wreck,  nor  change,  nor  winter's  blight, 

Nor  Time's  remorseless  doom, 
Shall  dim  one  ray  of  glory's  light 

That  gilds  your  deathless  tomb. 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 


149 


21.  The  Navy  Department.  A  second  branch  of  the 
national  defense  i>  the  navy.  A  nation  which,  like  the 
United    States,   has   a    long  seacoasl    and    many    seaports, 

would  in  time  of  war  he  in  danger  of  attack  by  armed 
ships.  To  lie  .-lire,  forts  arc  huilt  on  the  shore  for  the 
purpose  of  defense  againsl  such  attacks,  lint  it  ha-  been 
found  that    forts  alone  arc  not  enough.      Armed   ships  are 


r<>|ivn.'tit     \ 


TIIK    I      3.    '  i:i  1SKR    N  Ett     \  ORK 


The  new  navy  is  very  different  from  the  old  wooden  Bailing  ships  which  fonght  the 
war  of  1812.  Naval  vessels  now  are  propelled  by  strain,  are  built  of  steel,  heavily 
armored  so  as  not  easily  to  be  pierced  by  shot,  and  are  provided  with  guns  of  tremen- 
dous power. 

besl  met  by  other  armed  ships.  Besides,  if  American  citi- 
zens should  he  maltreated  in  some  foreign  country,  or  if 
American  ships  should  he  in  danger  in  distant  seas,  it 
would  he  necessary  to  send  ships  of  war  to  their  defense. 

22.  It  was  just  such  troubles  which  led  to  the  beginning 
of  our  navy.  A  hundred  years  ago  the  people  who  lived 
on  the  south  shore  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  were  pirates. 
They   sailed   from   the   harbors  of    Tripoli    and    Tutus  and 


150  THE    YOUNG  AMERICAN 

Algiers,  and  captured  the  merchant  ships  of  any  nation. 
These  ships,  with  their  cargoes,  were  kept  by  the  pirates, 
and  the  unfortunate  crews  were  made  slaves.  Many  na- 
tions paid  Large  sums  of  money  to  the  rulers  of  these 
savage  countries  in  order  to  save  their  ships  and  sailors 
from  such  a  fate.  In  1794  our  government  thought  that 
it  would  not  he  possible  for  the  United  States  to  make 
a  suitable  arrangement  of  this  kind,  and  so  it  was  decided 
to  build  ships  of  war  so  as  to  be  able  to  compel  the  pirates 
to  let  our  merchant  ships  alone. 

23.  Before  the  ships  were  ready,  however,  arrangements 
were  made  by  which  we  paid  a  great  amount  of  money  to 
the  pirates,  and  they  agreed  not  to  capture  American  ships. 
But  in  a  few  years  the  Tripolitans  broke  the  agreement,  and 
again  attacked  our  peaceful  vessels.  Then  our  government 
sent  the  new  ships  of  war  to  the  Mediterranean  with  orders 
to  compel  the  Tripolitans  to  keep  the  peace.  The  Ameri- 
can vessels  were  manned  by  as  gallant  a  body  of  mariners 
as  ever  sailed  the  seas,  and  they  soon  made  things  very  un- 
comfortable for  the  Tripolitans.  Tripolitan  warships  were 
captured,  the  city  of  Tripoli  was  blockaded  so  that  no 
ships  could  go  out  or  in,  and  it  was  bombarded  repeatedly. 
When  the  ruler  of  Tripoli  found  that  his  palace  was  likely 
to  be  battered  down  about  his  ears,  and  that  on  the  water 
the  navy  of  the  new  republic  was  more  than  a  match  for 
him,  he  gave  up  the  fight  and  promised  to  respect  Ameri- 
can vessels  thereafter.     This  was  in  1805. 

24.  In  1812  came  the  second  war  with  England.  That 
nation  had  a  thousand  vessels  of  war  in  her  navy,  while  the 
United  States  had  only  sixteen.     But  the  American  ships 


THE    Y0UN6   AMERICAN 


151 


were   well    Bailed   and    well    fought,    and    in   a   number   of 
battles  with   English  ships  our  navy  was  victorious. 
25.  The  mosl    famous  of  the   American   vessels   was  the 


PubUl  jl.Uii.  1696,  bj  A.  W    Bison  &  IV ,  Boston 

I.    -.    FRIGATE    CON8TIT1    HON    (OLD    1 1:<  (NS1  1 1!  - 

This  famous  old  ship  of  the  navy  was  launched  in  1797,  anil  by  its  many  brilliant 
exploits  became  the  darling  of  the  American  people.  The  Constitution  was  engaged  in 
the  war  with  Tripoli  ami  in  the  war  of  1812.  [te  venerable  hulk  is  now  used  as  a  re 
ceiving  ship  at  the  Portsmouth  I  New  Hampshire)  navj  yard. 

staunch  frigate  Constitution.  Only  a  few  days  after  the 
war  began  the  Constitution  sailed  from  porl  on  a  cruise, 
and  met  the  British  frigate  Gnerriere  (Augusl  L9,  1812). 
The  two  vessels  foughl  desperately  for  two  hours.     At  the 


152 


77/ K    YOUXG    AJIEh'K'AX 


cud  of  thai  time  the  British  ship  lay  on  the  water  a  dis- 
masted  and  shattered  wreck,  and  her  flag  was  hauled  down 
in  token  of  surrender.  This  brilliant  victory  was  followed 
in  rapid  succession  by  others.  The  British  had  seemed  in- 
vincible on  the  ocean.  But  the  American  tars  proved  quite 
equal  to  their  haughty  foe,  and  the  little  navy  of  the  young 
republic  at  once  sprang  into  popular  favor.    As  vessel  after 


Ik 


i     mm. 


"DON'T    (ilVE    UP   THE   SHIP" 


vessel  returned  to  port  with  a  captured  ship  or  the  flag  of 
one  which  had  been  sent  to  the  bottom,  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  people  knew  no  bounds. 

26.  In  only  one  battle  with  a  ship  of  equal  force  was  an 
American  vessel  captured.  This  was  the  frigate  Chesapeake, 
which  became  a  prize  to  the  British  frigate  Shannon.  Cap- 
tain Lawrence,  of  the  Chesapeake,  was  so  eager  to  meet  his 
enemy  that  he  hurried  from  Boston  with  a  new  crew  unac- 


Til h'    YOUNG    .1  VERICAN  168 

customed  bo  their  duty  and  with  hie  equipments  Ear  from 
complete.  In  a  desperate  actios  of  only  fifteen  minutes 
both  ships  were  filled  with  the  -lain  and  maimed.  Captain 
Lawrence  was  fatally  wounded,  and  as  he  was  carried 
below  he  exclaimed,  "Don'1  give  up  the  ship."'  Bui 
the  British  hoarders  -wept  the  blood-stained  decks  of  the 
Chesapeake,  and  the  lla#  was  hauled  down  by  a  British 
officer  (June  1,  L813). 


PEHItV    AT   TUE    BATTLE   OF    LAKE    ERIE 


27.  Only  a  few  weeks  after  the  loss  of  the  Chesapeake  a 
whole  British  squadron  on  Lake  Erie  surrendered  to  an 
American  squadron.  Commodore  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  the 
American  commander,  had  named  his  flagship  the  Law- 
rence, from  the  heroic  captain  of  the  Chesapeake.  In  the 
course  of  the  hat  tie  the  Lawrence  was  so  cu1  up  as  to  be- 
come unmanageable.  Commodore  Perry  then  passed  in 
an  open  boat,  under  a  heavy  tire  of  musketry,  to  another 
vessel  of    his  squadron,  the    Niagara,    which   he   at   once 


154  THE  YOUNG  AMERICAN 

directed  into  the  center  of  the  enemy's  line,  and  soon 
compelled  their  surrender.  He  announced  his  victory 
in  the  laconic  dispatch.  "We  have  met  the  enemy  and 
they  are  ours ;  two  ships,  two  hrigs,  one  schooner,  and 
one  sloop." 

28.  The  ships  which  made  so  glorious  a  record  for  the 
American  navy  in  those  two  wars  were  built  of  wood  and 
equipped  with  sails.  Steam  was  not  yet  used  to  propel 
vessels.  In  our  navy  now.  however,  all  the  fighting  ships 
are  made  of  steel  and  are  driven  by  steam.  Sailing  ships 
are  no  longer  of  any  use.  And  the  powerful  cannon  on  a 
modern  warship  throw  huge  shells  to  a  distance  of  several 
miles.  But,  after  all,  the  success  of  our  new  navy  in  defend- 
ing the  republic  will  depend  on  just  what  it  did  in  1805 
and  1812 — the  skill  and  spirit  of  the  officers  and  crews. 

29.  The  management  of  the  navy  is  in  what  is  known 
as  the  navy  department,  at  Washington,  whose  head,  the 
secretary  of  the  navy,  is  a  member  of  the  president's 
cabinet. 

30.  The  navy  department  maintains  a  school,  at  Annapo- 
lis, Maryland,  in  which  boys  are  trained  to  become  naval 
officers.  Appointments  to  this  school  are  made  in  about  the 
same  way  as  those  to  the  military  school  at  West  Point. 

31.  A  Famous  Poem  About  a  Famous  Ship — One 
of  the  most  famous  warships  of  the  American  navy  was  the 
frigate  Constitution.  She  was  one  of  the  earliest  vessels 
built,  and  was  frequently  engaged  in  the  war  with  Tripoli 
and  in  the  war  of  1812.  Although  a  wooden  ship,  she  was 
affectionately  called  "  Old  Ironsides "  by  the  sailors. 

32.  Oliver    Wendell    Holmes    was    born    at    Cambridge, 


TEE    TOUNQ  AMERICAN 


155 


Massachusetts,  in  L809 ;  was  graduated  al  Harvard  Uni- 
versity when  twenty  years  old;  became  a  physician,  and 
was  Long  a  professor  in  the  Earvard  Medical  School.  His 
literary  works  were  many  and  varied.  He  died  in  L894. 
The  poem  which  follows  was  written  when  the  Constitu- 


PubUshed  and  copjrightwl,  1894,  bj  A.  W  Elson  &  Co.,  Boston 

OI.IVKK    WKNDK1.I.    HOLMK- 


tion  had  become  so  old  thai  it  was  proposed  to  break  her 
up  as  unlit  for  service.  After  the  poem  rang  through  the 
land  the  plan  was  reconsidered,  and  the  old  warship  was 
carefully  preserved  as  a  memorial  of  the  greal  deed-  of  our 


gallanl   navy. 


150  Till-:    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

Old  Ironsides 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes 

A  v.  tear  her  tattered  ensign  down  !    Long  lias  it  waved  on  high, 
And  many  an  eye  has  danced  to  see  that  banner  in  the  sky  ; — 
Beneath  it  rang  the  battle-shout,  and  burst  the  cannon's  roar  ; 
The  meteor  of  the  ocean  air  shall  sweep  the  clouds  no  more  ! 

Her  deck,  once  red  with  heroes'  blood,  where  knelt  the  van- 
quished foe, 

When  winds  were  hurrying  o'er  the  flood,  and  waves  were 
white  below. 

No  more  shall  feel  the  victor's  tread,  or  know  the  conquered 
knee  ; 

The  harpies  of  the  shore  shall  pluck  the  eagle  of  the  sea  ! 

O,  better  that  her  shattered  hulk  should  sink  beneath  the  wave  ! 
Her  thunders  shook  the  mighty  deep,  and  there  should  be  her 

grave  ! 
Nail  to  the  mast  her  holy  flag,  set  every  threadbare  sail, 
And  give  her  to  the  god  of  storms, — the  lightning  and  the  gale  ! 

33.  The  Post-Office  Department — One  of  the  most 
familiar  sights  in  a  city  is  the  letter-carrier  in  his  blue- 
gray  uniform  and  with  his  leather  bag  slung  at  his  side. 
Probably  no  one  of  our  readers  has  not  mailed  a  letter  ;  if 
in  a  city,  at  a  post-box  attached  to  a  street  lamp  ;  if  in 
the  country,  at  the  post-office.  The  letter-carrier  and  the 
postmaster  are  officers  of  the  United  States,  under  the 
direction  of  one  of  the  president's  cabinet.  The  head  of 
the  department  is  called  the  postmaster-general. 


THE    YOUNG     I  UERICAN 


151 


34.  It  i>  yitv  convenient  to  be  able  to  send  a  letter  to 
any  part  of  the  United  States,  and  the  price  paid  for  carry- 
in"-  it.  only  two  cents  for  i rdinary  letter,   is  30  9mall 

thai  almost  any  one  can  afford  it.  The  stamp  pul  on  the 
envelope,  we  should  remember,  is  merely  to  show  thai  the 
money  has  been  paid  to  the  post-office  for  carrying  the  let- 
ter to  its  destination.     By  an  arrangement  with  the  post- 


TIIK  GENERAL  POST-OFMCE,   \VA>IIIN(iTON 


office  departments  of  other  nations  it  is  possible,  on  paying 
five  cents  instead  of  two.  to  have  a  letter  taken  promptly 
to  almost  any  place  in  the  world. 

35.  Besides  letters,  the  post  carries  newspapers  ami 
packages  of  many  kinds.  Then,  if  one  wants  to  semi 
money  in  a  letter,  the  post-office  will  sell  ;t  money  order, 
which   is  much  safer  to  inclose  than  cash. 

36.  'The  law  forbids  anyone  excepl  the  United  States 
post-office   department    from  carrying  on  the   business  of 


L58 


the  yorxc  American 


conveying  letters.  The  price  of  a  stamp,  now  two  cents 
on  an  ordinary  letter,  until  nearly  the  middle  of  this 
century  was  sometimes  as  high  as  twenty-five  cents.     At 


A   POSTMAN 


that  time  envelopes  were  not  commonly  used,  but  the  last 
page  of  the  letter  was  left  blank,  and  when  the  sheet  was 
folded  and  fastened  together  with  sealing  wax  the  address 
was   written  on  the  back, 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  159 

37.  The  Interior  Department. — The  secretary  <>/'  Ike 
interior,  another  of  the  president's  cabinet,  has  a  greal 
variety  of  business  to  manage. 

38.  Every  ten  years  the  people  of  the  United  States  are 
very  carefully  counted.  At  the  same  time  lists  are  made 
of  tlif  kinds  of  business  in  which  men  are  employed,  of  the 
number  and  kind  of  educational  institutions,  of  the  nation- 
ality of  the  people,  and  of  a  number  of  other  things  which 
it  is  convenient  to  know.  Tins  is  called  the  census.  The 
last  census  was  taken  in  1890,  and  showed  the  number  of 
people  in  the  1'nited  States  to  be  62,622,250.  The  work  of 
baking  the  census  is  done  by  the  department  of  the  interior. 

39.  Another  duty  of  this  department  is  the  granting  and 
recording  <>f  patents.  People  are  continually  inventing  a 
new  machine  or  an  improvement  of  an  old  machine.  Xot 
many  years  ago  the  fanners  mowed  their  grass  with  a 
scythe,  ami  all  sewing  was  done  by  hand  with  a  needle. 
But  one  ingenious  man  contrived  a  mowing  machine, 
which  is  drawn  by  horses  and  cuts  the  grass  very  rapidly. 
Ami  another  equally  ingenious  inventor  contrived  a  sew- 
ing machine,  by  which  one  woman  can  do  in  the  same  time 
as  much  work  as  several  sewing  in  the  old  way.  Such  con- 
trivances as  these,  and  many  others  like  them,  are  very  use- 
ful. And  to  encourage  men  to  plan  them  the  government 
has  made  a  law  which  allows  an  inventor  the  sole  right  to 
sell  his  inventions  for  a  number  of  years.  In  this  way 
sometimes  great  sums  of  money  are  made.  The  inventors 
of  the  telephone,  i  he  pneumatic  bicycle  tire,  and  the  (dec- 
trie  light,  for  instance,  have  become  very  rich.  Such  right 
bo  monopolize  an  invention  is  called  &  patent.     Of  course, 


160  THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

as  soon  as  the  time  of  the  patent  has  expired,  any  one  can 
make  or  sell  the  article  in  question.  The  patent  office 
grants  patents  to  inventors,  and  keeps  a  careful  record  of 
such  grants. 

40.  The  United  States  owns  many  great  areas  of  land. 
As  we  have  seen  (p.  102),  there  was  a  time  when  nearly  all 
the  land  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  belonged  to  the 
nation.  But  it  has  mostly  been  sold  to  private  persons  at 
a  low  price,  or,  indeed,  actually  given  away.  A  dollar  and 
a  quarter  an  acre  was  the  usual  price  for  a  long  time. 
The  desire  was  for  the  land  to  be  settled  and  used,  so  that 
as  many  people  as  possible  might  have  homes  of  their  own 
and  farms  on  which  they  might  be  earning  a  living  for 
their  families.  About  the  time  of  the  great  civil  war  a 
law  was  made  by  congress  permitting  any  head  of  a  family 
to  take  160  acres  of  the  public  land  for  his  own  at  a  nom- 
inal cost,  provided  he  would  make  it  his  home.  A  resi- 
dence of  five  years  on  the  land  is  required  before  the  title 
is  given,  and  no  title  is  given  at  all  except  to  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States. 

41.  Under  the  policy  of  sale  at  a  low  price,  or,  as  at  pres- 
ent, of  actual  gift,  many  thousands  of  families  have  found 
homes  on  the  public  land.  The  vast  area  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains  was  nearly  all  a  wilderness  a  hundred 
years  ago.  Now  it  consists  of  many  populous  states,  with 
great  cities,  churches,  schools,  libraries,  and,  what  is  more 
important  than  all  and  indeed  is  the  foundation  of  all, 
with  multitudes  of  happy  homes. 

42.  The  public  land  is  managed  by  the  department  of 
the  interior. 


THE    VOUNQ    AMERICAN  161 

43.  The  care  of  the  Indian  reservations  is  also  intrusted 
to  this  department.  This  ie  a  wrork  requiring  great  intel- 
ligence ami  integrity.  Bad  managemenl  may  result  in 
linlian  war-,  and  what  people  are  doing  to  have  the 
young  [ndians  grow  up  good  citizens  (p.  '.'11)  will  oome 
to  little  if  the  governmenl  is  not  jusl  and  wise  in  its 
dealings. 

44.  The  Department  of  Justice. — Thegreal  amounl  of 
business  done  by  the  different  departments  makes  it  often 
necessary  Eor  the  government  to  be  concerned  in  a  lawsuit. 
And  it  is  also  convenient  that  officers  of  the  government 
should  always  be  able  to  have  the  opinion  of  a  good  lawyer 
as  to  the  exact  meaning  of  some  law  in  a  particular  case. 
So  the  president  has  as  one  of  his  cabinet  an  officer  called 
the  attorney-general.  He  is  the  government  lawyer,  and 
his  department  is  the  department  of  justice. 

45.  The  Treasury  Department. — The  department 
which  takes  care  of  the  money  of  the  government  ranks 
next  in  importance  after  the  department  of  state.  But 
as  it  provides  the  means  by  which  all  the  others  do  their 
work,  it  is  put  last  here.  'The  business  of  government 
is  expensive.  Officers  and  employees  have  to  be  paid 
salaries,  material  has  to  he  bought  and  used,  soldiers  and 
sailors  have  to  be  \'r<\  and  clothed.  The  entire  eost  of 
carrying  on  the  federal  government  of  the  I'nited  States 
for  one  year  is  about    $350,000,000. 

46.  This  srasl  sum  is  paid  to  the  government  by  the 
people.  ;i!nl  is  called  the  national  taxes.  A  lux  is  money 
which   the  government    takes  from  individuals   for  public 

purposes. 

11 


102 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


Congress  makes  laws  which  prescribe  how  the  taxes  shall 
be  paid,  and  how  great  they  shall  be,  and  for  what  pur- 
poses they  shall  be  spent.  Neither  the  president  nor  any 
of  his  cabinet  can  spend  a  dollar  of  the  public  money  un- 
less permitted  to  do  so  by  such  a  law. 

47.  By  far  the  largest  part  of  the  national  taxes  is  paid 
by  people  who  bring  goods  from  foreign    countries.     At 


THE  TREASURY  BUILDING,    WASHINGTON 

This  is  an  imposing  structure  of  sandstone  and  granite,  occupying  an  entire  square 
not  far  from  the  president's  house.  Unlike  the  latter,  however,  the  treasury  building 
is  not  set  in  the  midst  of  beautiful  and  spacious  grounds,  but  is  surrounded  by  busy 
thoroughfares.  It  is  said  that  President  Andrew  Jackson  became  impatient  at  the 
delay  in  choosing  a  site,  so  one  day  he  walked  out  from  the  White  House,  and,  planting 
his  cane  in  the  ground,  exclaimed,  "  Build  it  here."    And  there  it  was  built. 

The  treasury  building  is  full  of  interest.  There  one  may  see  the  great  vaults  where 
the  many  millions  of  silver  dollars  are  stored,  the  rooms  where  mutilated  currency  is 
exchanged  for  new,  the  many  deft  fingers  and  sharp  eyes  busy  in  counting  the  paper 
bills,  both  new  and  old,  and  the  curious  collection  of  counterfeit  notes.  It  is  not  at  all 
to  counterfeit  the  United  States  notes.  The  paper  on  which  they  are  made  has  a 
peculiar  silk  fiber,  and  the  law  forbids  any  one,  unless  duly  authorized  persons,  to  have 
a  bit  of  it.    Then,  the  process  of  engraving  the  notes  is  very  exact  and  delicate. 


•  very  seaport  or  other  place  on  the  border  is  an  office  of 
the  government  called  a  custom-house.  The  custom-house 
officers  inspect  all  goods  brought  from  abroad  and  collect 
from  the  owner  the  tax  fixed  by  law.     Goods  brought  into 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  L63 

the  country  from  abroad  are  called  imports,  and  the  tax  ie 

called  a  ditty. 

48.  The  laws  of  congress  also  provide  for  a  tax  to  be  paid 
by  the  manufacturers  of  liquors,  cigars,  ami  a  few  other 
articles.     This  tax  is  called  the  internal  revenue.     Officers 

of  the  government  inspect  the  articles  as  they  are  rna<le  ami 
collect   the  tax. 

49.  The  vast  sums  of  money  thus  paid  to  the  govern- 
ment as  taxes  have  to  be  kept  safely,  and  paid  out  as  the 
laws  direct.  In  the  city  of  Washington  is  a  huge  stone 
building,  the  treasury,  in  whose  vaults  are  kept  many  mil- 
lions of  dollars  in  gold  and  silver  and  in  paper  notes.  In 
the  city  of  New  York,  and  in  a  few  other  cities,  are  similar 
buildings,  though  smaller,  in  which  other  great  amounts 
are  kept.  And  many  hanks  in  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try also  keep  in  their  vaults  money  belonging  to  the  United 
States. 

50.  From  these  sums  the  government  pays  out  whatever 
it  owes. 

51.  Money. — Money  is  a  very  convenient  thing.  If  a 
man  wants  to  sell  a  cow  and  to  buy  clothes  and  groceries, 
he  might  he  able  to  trade  the  cow  to  some  other  man  who 
happened  to  have  clothing  and  groceries  to  sell. 

52.  But  it  would  not  he  likely  that  the  same  man  would 
have  both  those  articles  to  sell,  or,  if  he  did,  that  he  would 
want  a  cow.  So  a  much  better  way  is  to  exchange  the 
cow  for  money,  ami  then  to  exchange  the  money  for  clol  hes 
with  the  tailor  and  for  Hour  and  sugar  with  the  grocer.  If 
there  were  no  money  it  would  not  he  so  easy  for  people  to 
get  what  they  want,  even  if  they  had  thin--  to  -ell, 


Kit 


THE    Vol' Mi    AMERICAN 


53.   Money    is   usually   made  of   gold    or  silver,   though 

pieces  of  little  value  are  of  nickel  or  copper.  People  would 
be  quite  willing  to  take  gold  or  silver  in  payment  for  goods 
even  it' it  were  in  the  form  of  bars  or  dust — bullion  it  is 
called.  l>ut  that  would  not  be  handy  at  all.  as  everybody 
would  have  to  weigh  the  metal,  ami  at  the  same  time  to 
test  it  in  order  to  see  if  it  were  pure.  So  the  government 
takes  gold  and  silver,  and  makes  it  into  small  round  pieces 

called  cot  11  s  . 
These  coins,  we 
know,  always  have 
a  certain  amount  of 
metal  and  a  certain 
weight.  So  when 
we  see  the  mark 
of  the  government 
on  the  coin  we  are 
saved  the  trouble  of 


THE    MINT.    PHILADELPHIA 


weighing  and  test- 


Here  United  States  coins    s.'"'1'^  silver,  and  nickel— are 
made  from  the  bullion. 

ing.  In  order  to 
make  sure  that  all  coins  can  be  depended  on.  no  one  is 
allowed  to  manufacture  coins  but  the  national  government. 
The  place  at  which  they  are  made  is  called  the  mint.  The 
United  States  has  several  mints,  the  one  at  Philadelphia 
being  t  he  oldest. 

54.  Notes. —  Paper  notes  are- often  called  money,  but 
they  are  not  really  money  at  all.  They  are  only  promises 
to  pay  money — as  yon  will  sec  at  once  by  reading  what  is 
printed  on  one.  Some  of  these  paper  notes  are  issued  by 
the  national  government  and  some  by  the  national   hanks. 


Till:    WUNO   AMERH.  -!A  166 

55.  The  notes  of  the  national  governmenl  are  commonly 
called  greenbacks.  Thej  arepromises  to  pay  by  the  gov- 
ernment, hut  by  law  are  to  be  received  in  paymenl  of  all 
debts  -with  one  exception,  which  you  will  find  printed  on 
such  Dotes. 

56.  The  notes  of  the  national  banks  arc  printed  by  the 
governmenl  at  Washington,  jus!  as  are  the  greenbacks,  and 
are  senl  to  the  banks  as  may  be  requested  bj  them. 

57.  The  banks,  however,  are  no!  allowed  to  issue  paper 
notes  until  they  have  pul  in  the  vaults  of  the  treasury  at 
Washington  valuable  bonds,  so  thai  if  the  bank  should 
fail  the  notes  would  still  be  paid.  And  government  in- 
spectors keep  sharp  watch  of  the  banks  to  sec  that  they 
arc  honestly  managed.  Then  the  governmenl  sends  the 
banks  the  note-  which  they  wish  to  issue. 

58.  The  Treasury. —  All  this  enormous  business  of  the 
governmenl  in  dealing  with  money — collecting  taxes,  pay- 
ing out  what  the  governmenl  owes,  stamping  coins  al  the 
mint,  printing  currency  notes,  printing  and  issuing  national 
bank-notes,  and  keeping  watch  over  the  national  hanks — is 
attended  to  by  the  treasury  department.  Its  head,  the 
secretary  of  the  treasury ,  is  one  of  the  most  important  of 
the  president's  cabinet.  He  has  under  him  a  little  army 
of  officials — tie'  clerk-  at  Washington  in  the  greal  treas- 
ury building,  the  officers  in  the  many  custom-houses,  the 
internal-revenue  collectors,  the  hank   inspectors. 

59.  The  Department  of  Agriculture. — The  secretary 
of  agriculture  keeps  watch  of  agricultural  methods  in  all 
part-  of  the  world,  and  publishes  the  information  which  he 
gathers,  so  that   our  farmers   may  know    what   to  do. 


166  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

60.  We  see  what  a  great  machine  the  government  of  the 
United  States  is.  The  eight  heads  of  departments  who 
form  the  president's  cabinet  hold  very  important  places. 
And  over  all  is  the  president  of  the  United  States,  with 
the  power  to  direct  everything. 

61.  We  have  seen  (p.  loo)  that  if  the  president  and  vice- 
president  both  should  die,  the  duties  of  president  would  he 
performed  by  the  secretary  of  state.  In  case  of  his  death, 
the  secretary  of  the  treasury  would  take  up  the  work,  and 
so  on  in  the  order  of  the  cabinet.  This  is  the  order  of 
succession  :  secretary  of  state,  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
secretary  of  war,  attorney-general,  postmaster-general, 
secretary  of  the  navy,  secretary  of  the  interior.  When  the 
law  which  made  this  arrangement  was  passed  there  was  no 
secretary  of  agriculture.  So  that  officer  is  not  in  the  Line 
of  succession  to  the  presidency. 


CHAPTER   XII 

How  Laws  Are   Enforced  in  the  States 

i.  The  Governor. — lu-t  as  there  is  a  presidenl  of  the 
United  Slates,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  Constitution 
ami  the  laws  made  by  congress  are  obeyed,  so  each  one  of 
our  forty-five  states  has  a  governor.  His  duty  is  to  3ee 
that  the  law-  of  the  state  are  obeyed.  He  lives  in  the 
city  which  is  called  the  capital  of  tin-  state,  and  is  usually 
a  very  busy  man.  Eowever,  the  governor  of  a  state  does 
not  have  so  many  powers  as  the  presidenl  of  the  United 
States.  The  governor  is  elected  by  the  people  for  a  term 
of  office  winch  varies  from  one  year  to  four  in  different 
states. 

2.  Departments. — The  departments  of  the  state  admin- 
istration are  very  nearly  the  same  as  those  of  the  national 
administration.  Bui  there  is  this  difference:  the  presi- 
dent appoints  the  heads  of  departments,  and  they  are 
accustomed  to  hold  regular  meetings  with  him — -"'  cabinet 
meetings" — at  which  they  give  advice  about  important 
matters.  In  the  states  the  heads  of  departments  are 
usually  elected  by  the  people,  and  they  do  not  form  the 
governor's  " cabinet " — that  is,  they  do  not  habitually  bold 
meetings  for  the  purpose  of  talking  over  public  business, 
and  are  not  supposed  to  be  the  governor's  advisers. 


168 


THE   YOUNG  A  31  ERIC  A  X 


3.  The  departments  arc  not  the  same  in  all  the  states. 

There  is  usually  a  secretary  of  state,  who  keeps  an  exact 
record  of  all  the  laws  made  by  the  legislature,  and  who 
keeps  other  state  documents,   and   does  some  other  state 


&  ^mK^^ 


1*1.1.1 


THE   CONNECTICUT    STATE    HOUSE    AT    HAKTFOKD 

The  state  capitol  at  Hartford,  finished  in  1880,  is  of  white  marble,  and  cost  about 
$2,500,000.    It  is  one  of  the  most  tasteful  buildings  of  the  kind  in  the  Union. 

business.     But  this  officer  of  course  has  nothing  to  do  with 
foreign  nations,  as  has  the  federal  secretary  of  state. 

4.  There  is  always  a  state  treasurer,  who  keeps  the  money 
of  the  state  and  pays  it  out  as  the  legislature  may  direct. 
Then,  there  is  another  officer  called  the  "auditor,"  whose 
duty  is  to  examine  bills  against  the  state,  and  make  sure 
that  they  are  correct  before  they  are  paid. 


Till:    FOUNO   AMERK  AN  169 

5.  The  attorney-general  is  the  state  lawyer.  He  tells  the 
governor  and  other  state  officers  hisopinionof  the  meaning 
of  the  laws  which  they  are  enforcing,  so  thai  thej  may 
avoid  mistakes  by  having  wrong  notions.  Then,  if  the 
state  has  a  Lawsuit,  the  attorney-general  takes  care  of  it  for 
the  state. 

6.  The  states  have  no  war  or  navy  departments.  Still, 
each  state  has  an  army  of  soldiers,  usually  called  the 
national  guard.  The  national  guard  consists  of  men  who 
are  busy  aboul  their  own  affairs  mosl  of  the  time,  ami  drill 
only  occasionally — once  a  week,  asageneral  thing.  In  the 
summer  they  sometimes  spend  a  few  days  in  camp.  It' 
there  should  he  a  riot  which  the  police  could  not  j n  1 1  down. 
or  if  an  enemy  should  invade  the  state,  the  governor  has 
the  righl  to  call  out  the  national  guard.  They  then  give 
their  whole  time  to  military  duty  until  the  danger  has 
passed  away. 

7.  Some  states  have  still  other  business,  much  of  which 
is  managed  by  groups  of  men.  each  group  being  known  as 
a  board.  Thus  there  is  often  a  state  hoard  id'  education, 
which  lias  the  oversighl  of  the  public  schools,  or  of  some 
of  them.  Sometimes,  instead  of  a  board  of  education, 
these  duties  are  put  in  charge  of  one  man.  the  superin- 
tendent of  public  instruction,  and  sometimes  the  hoard 
chooses  a  superintendent.  Then,  most  of  the  states  have 
normal  school-,  insane  asylums,  schools  for  the  deaf 
and  dumb,  and  prisons  to  which  are  sent  persons  who  have 
broken  the  laws.  These  institutions  are  also  usually 
managed  by  hoards.  The  nminhers  of  the  hoards  are 
often  appointed  by  the  go^ ernor. 


170  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

8.  The  Lieutenant-Governor. — It  will  be  remembered 
that  one  of  the  officers  of  the  United  States  is  a  vice- 
president,  who  presides  at  the  meetings  of  the  senate,  and 
who  becomes  president  if  that  officer  should  die.  Most 
of  the  states  have  also  sneb  an  officer,  the  "lieutenant- 
governor."  lie  presides  over  the  state  senate,  and 
becomes  governor  in  case  of  the  death,  or,  sometimes,  in 
case  of  the  absence  from  the  state,  of  the  governor.  The 
lieutenant-governor  is  elected  by  the  people,  for  the  same 
term  as  the  governor.  The  state  of  Maine,  however,  and 
several  others,  have  no  lieutenant-governor.  In  these 
states  the  senate  elects  its  own  chairman. 

9.  County  Officers. — In  each  county  there  are  also  of- 
ficers Avhose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  laws  are  carried  out. 
The  county  has  no  president  or  governor.  The  county 
legislature,  whether  county  board  or  board  of  supervisors, 
besides  making  laws,  also  sees  to  more  or  less  administra- 
tive business.  Then,  there  is  a  treasurer,  who  takes  care 
of  the  county  money,  just  as  the  state  treasurer  does  of 
the  state  money;  and  a  sheriff,  who  is  really  the  chief 
policeman  of  the  county.  It  is  the  sheriff's  deputies  who 
usually  arrest  criminals  in  the  county,  and  the  county  jail 
is  in  the  sheriff's  care.  So  we  see  that  the  sheriff  is  quite 
important  to  the  good  order  of  the  community.  There 
is  a  county  attorney,  too,  who  is  the  lawyer  for  the  county, 
as  the  attorney-general  is  for  the  state.  All  these  officers 
are  in  most  states  elected  by  the  people  of  the  county, 
although  in  some  states,  as  in  Maryland,  the  county  board 
chooses  the  treasurer. 

10.  The   County    Seat. — We  remember    that    the    eity 


THE    rOUNO   AMERICAN  171 

in  which  the  state  legislature  meets  and  the  governor  lives 
is  called  the  capital.  The  county,  too,  has  a  capital,  bul 
it    is    usually   called    the   county   seat.      Quite   often    the 

county  scat  is  rather  a  small  town.  Bu1  it  generally  has 
one  or  more  county  buildings— the  court-house,  jail,  and 
perhaps  others.  The  county  board  generally  meet-  in  the 
court-house,  and  there  also  are  the  offices  of  most  of  the 
other  county  officers. 

11.  The  Mayor.—  If  your  home  i<  in  a  city  you  have 
heard  many  times  of  the  ••mayor.*'  He  is  the  city's 
governor,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  law-  are  oheyed. 
The  mayor  is  chosen  by  the  people,  just  as  is  the  governor 
of  the  state. 

12.  The  name  "mayor"  was  applied  to  the  chief 
officer  of  the  first  cities  which  were  organized  in  our 
country,  for  the  reason  that  that  was  the  name  \\>v^\  in 
the  English  cities.  In  England  the  mayor,  on  official 
occasions,  wears  an  elaborate  costume.  The  lord  mayor  of 
the  city  of  London  is  elected  annually.  His  inaugura- 
tion, on  the  ninth  of    November,   "lord   mayor's  day."  is 

made    tl icasion    of    a    gorgeous    parade   through    the 

streets.  The  lord  mayor'-  robe  is  on  some  occasions  of 
black  silk,  on  others  of  \  iolel  -ilk.  or  of  scarlet  cloth,  or 
of  crimson  velvet. 

13.  The  London  Lord  Mayor's  Banquet. — On  the 
evening  of  lord  mayor's  day  a  banquet  is  given  by  the 
mayor  at  the  London  guildhall  (the  city  ball,  we  should 
call  it) — a  banquet  which  is  famous  for  its  luxury.  A 
few  years  ago  one  of  the  guests  at  this  banquet  made  a 
curious  list  of  the  articles  of  food  provided.      Provision 


1W  THE    YOUNQ  AMERICAN 

was  made  for  a  thousand  guests,  and  this  is  what  was  set 
hi 'fore  them  : 

Two  hundred  fifty  tureens  of  turtle  soup,  6  great 
dishes  of  fish,  80  roast  turkeys.  60  roast  pullets,  60  dishes 
of  fowl,  40  dishes  of  capons,  80  pheasants,  24  geese,  40 
dishes  of  partridges,  15  dishes  of  wild  fowl,  2  barons* 
of  beef,  3  rounds  of  beef.  2  Mi^vv(\  rumps  of  beef,  12 
sirloins  and  ribs  of  beef.  2  quarters  of  lamb,  50  French 
pies,  60  pigeon  pies,  53  ornamental  hams,  4.3  tongues,  60 
dishes  of  potatoes,  6  dishes  of  asparagus,  50  dishes  of 
shell-fish,  60  mince  pies,  50  dishes  of  blanc-mange,  40 
dishes  of  cream  tarts,  400  jellies  and  ice-creams,  100  pine- 
apples, 120  dishes  of  cake,  2oo  dishes  of  hothouse  grapes, 
350  dishes  of  other  fruits.  With  each  course  there  was  a 
different  kind  of  wine  also. 

One  would  think  that  even  a  thousand  guests  might 
find  enough  to  eat  in  this  profusion.  Our  American 
mayors  are  not  in  the  habit  of  hospitality  on  so  large  a 
scale.  Perhaps  they  might  do  as  well  if  they  had  the 
salary  of  the  London  lord  mayor — $50,000  a  year  ! 

14.  American  Mayors.— The  mayors  of  American 
cities  differ  somewhat  as  to  the  powers  they  possess,  de- 
pending on  the  state  in  which  the  city  is  situated.  In 
some  cities  the  mayors  are  allowed  to  appoint  or  to  remove 
nearly  all  the  public  officers,  and  in  this  way  the  mayor 
can  really  control  the  way  in  which  the  city  business  is 
done.  But  in  other  cities  many  officers  are  quite  inde- 
pendent of  the  mayor,  so  that  things  go  on  without  his 
having  much  to  say  about  them. 

*  A  baron  of  beef  is  two  sirloins  noi  cnl  apart. 


THE    Vol' Mi    AMERICAN  I?:; 

15.  City  Departments — The  administrative  depart- 
ments in  a  city  arc  in  Borne  respects  Like  those  in  the 
counties,  the  states,  and  the  nation. 

16.  There  is  a  treasurer,  who  keeps  the  money  of  the 
city  ami  pays  it  oul  as  directed  by  Law.  There  is  an 
auditor,  who  examines  all  hills  against  the  city  ami  ap- 
proves those  which  he  finds  correct.  The  treasurer  pays 
no  lulls  unless  the  auditor  has  approved  them.  Then, 
there  is  a  department  of  police,  which  keeps  order  in  the 
city.  The  policemen  arresl  people  who  break  the  law-. 
like  thieves  and  robbers,  and  also  keep  watch  to  prevent 
the  law-  from  being  broken,  as  far  as  possible.  Policemen 
wear  a  uniform,  customarily  of  blue  with  brass  buttons, 
and  carrv  a  club.  The  department  of  police  i-  in  some 
cities  managed  by  a  single  person,  the  chief.  Bui  in  other 
cities  there  is  a  group  of  persons,  called  a  hoard,  which 
appoints  the  chief  of  police  and  manages  all  the  affairs  of 
the  department. 

17.  The  Fire  Department. — Another  very  important 
department  in  a  city  is  that  which  is  intended  to  prevent 
or  to  put  out  fires.  City  houses  are  so  many  and  -<> 
crowded  together  that  a  lire  catching  in  one  is  very  apt 
to  spread   to  many  others. 

18.  In  London,  in  the  year  L666,  a  lire  broke  out  which 
spread  on  all  sides.  The  buildings  were  mostly  of  wood 
and  were  dry  as  tinder.  And  people  then  knew  little 
about  the  quick  and  effective  ways  <>\'  putting  out  fires 
which  we  have.  For  three  days  the  conflagration  raged, 
destroying  thirteen  liundred  houses  and  ninety  churches, 
besides  other  property   of  enormous  value.     A  similar  tire 


174  TEE    YOUNO    AMERICAN 

occurred  in  Chicago  in  L87L  and  other  cities  have  had 
disasters  of  the  same  kind,  like  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
and  Troy,  New  York.  So  much  fear  is  there  of  fire  that 
the  law  in  all  large  cities  now  forbids  wooden  buildings  to 
lie   puf    up  except    in   the  snhnrhs. 

19.  The  tire  department  is  carefully  organized.  It  is 
managed  in  some  cities  by  a  board,  consisting  of  several 
men  appointed  for  that  purpose  ;  in  others,  by  one  man, 
tine  fire-marshal.  Engine-houses  are  distributed  over  the 
city,  and  men  and  horses  are  always  ready  at  a  moment's 
warning  to  race  to  a  fire  with  the  fire-engine.  When  a  fire 
is  discovered  the  alarm  is  given  by  an  electric  bell  which 
sounds  in  the  nearest  engine-houses.  It  is  only  a  few 
minutes  after  the  alarm  sounds  before  several  streams  of 
water  are  playing  on  the  burning  building. 

20.  The  Care  of  Health. — The  health  department  in  a 
city  is  one  of  which  in  "  the  good  old  times"  centuries  ago 
people  did  not  dream.  But  to-day  no  city  of  a  civilized 
country  neglects  care  for  the  public  health.  When  people 
are  crowded  together  in  masses,  as  they  are  in  our  cities, 
many  diseases  are  caused  by  the  very  fact  of  the  crowded 
life.  The  garbage  and  refuse  of  families  and  hotels  and 
stables  col  lee  1  very  last,  and  unless  carried  away  promptly, 
are  sure  to  fester  and  reek  with  the  germs  of  typhoid  and 
other  deadly  pestilences.  Then,  if  a  contagious  or  infec- 
tious disease  breaks  out  it  spreads  with  frightful  rapidity 
when  so  many  people  live  near  together. 

21.  The  Plague  in  London. — Only  a  short  time  before 
the  greal  fire  destroyed  so  much  of  London  that  city  was 
the  victim  of  a  frightful  plague.     "  In  the  filthy  cities  of 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  175 

those  days  plagues  were  nol  uncommon,  and  in  the  aarrow 
streets  of  London,  where  the  upper  stories  of  the  houses 
almost  touched,  and  the  clay  floors  were  covered  with 
rotting  straw,  food,  and  dirt,  a  hoi  summer  always  brought 
more  or  less  pestilence.  The  summer  of  L665  was  hoi  be- 
yond all  experience.  In  May  the  plague,  which  had  been 
raging  <»n  the  continent,  broke  out  in  London,  and  went 
on  Increasing  all  the  summer,  till  in  September  fifteen 
hundred  persons  died  in  one  day  and  twenty-four  thou- 
sand   in    three    weeks.      On    door    after    door    the    red    cross 

appeared  to  mark  the  plague  within,  while  the  dead  cart, 
with  its  muffled  bell,  passed  along  at  night,  and  theory, 
•  Bring  out  your  dead/  sounded  through  the  .stillness  of 
the  almost  deserted  streets.  King,  courtiers,  members  of 
parliament,  even  doctors  and  clergy,  lied  from  the  plague- 
strieken  city.  With  the  winter  the  plague  died  away,  after 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  persons  had  perished. " 

22.  This  pestilence  was  so  fearful  in  its  effects  because 
the  city  was  so  dirty,  because  the  doctors  were  so  ignorant, 
and  because  almost  nothing  was  done  to  prevent  the  spread 
of  sickness. 

23.  In  a  well-ordered  modern  city  great  pains  are  taken 
by  the  health  department  to  prevent  the  beginning  or  spread 
of  disease  which  may  lead  to  such  results.  Inspectors  cause 
the  removal  of  dead  animals  or  decaying  rubbish.  Other 
inspectors  examine  meats  and  fruits  and  vegetables  brought 
into  the  city,  and  sometimes  condemn  and  cause  to  lie  thrown 
away  entire  carloads  id'  unwholesome  stuff.  If  a  case  of  con- 
tagious disease  occurs,  like  diphtheria  or  scarlet  fever,  the 
house  is  at  once  "  quarantined  " — that  is.  a  placard  is  posted 


176  THE    YOCXG    AMERICAN 

up  and  people  are  warned  to  keep  away.  In  a  very  bad  case, 
like  that  of  small-pox,  the  health  officers  remove  the  patient 
tn  the  public  hospital — the  "  pest-house,"  it  is  often  called. 

24.  All  this  work  is  generally  managed  by  a  board  of 
health,  consisting  of  several  men,  usually  doctors,  and  in 
many  cities  appointed  by  the  mayor. 

25.  In  a  large  city  there  are  other  departments  of  the 
government.  One  sees  to  the  supply  of  water,  which  is 
brought  in  great  pipes  from  some  lake  or  river.  The  water 
has  to  lie  abundant,  as  so  much  is  needed  for  drinking  and 
cooking  and  washing,  and  for  putting  out  fires.  And  it  is 
very  important  for  the  water  to  he  pure,  as  impure  water  is 
one  of  the  commonest  causes  of  dangerous  fevers.  Still 
another  department  manages  the  great  drainage  system  of 
the  city,  building  and  keeping  in  order  the  sewers  which 
carry  off  the  liquid  filth,  which  is  so  dangerous  if  allowed  to 
remain.  Still  other  city  officers  keep  many  wagons  busy 
hauling  away  the  garbage  and  ashes  and  other  rubbish, 
which  woidd  choke  the  sewers.  And  others  see  to  paving 
the  streets  and  to  keeping  the  pavements  in  good  repair. 

26.  School  Department. — One  of  the  most  important 
departments  in  a  city  is  that  which  manages  the  public 
schools.  Every  American  city  has  a  number  of  school- 
houses  in  which  the  children  are  taught  free  of  charge. 
These  buildings  and  their  fittings  cost  many  thousands 
of  dollars,  and  the  teachers'  salaries  cost  many  thousands 
more.  But  here  boys  and  girls  may  learn  what  Avill  make 
them  better  citizens,  better  and  happier  men  and  women. 
The  city  manages  all  these  schools  through  a  body  called 
the  school  board,  or  board  of  education.     The  members  in 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN  17? 

Borne  cities  are  appointed  by  the  mayor  ;  in  others  they  are 
elected  by  the  people;  in  others  they  are  appointed  in 
some  o1  her  waj . 

27.  It  is  the  business  <>i"  the  school  board  to  see  thai 
proper  buildings  are  provided  and  cared  for,  thai  suitable 
teachers  are  appointed^ and  thai  good  text-books  arc  selected. 
In  many  cities  the  school  board  elects  teachers  every  year. 
It  is  plain  enough  thai  for  so  importanl  duties  as  those  of 
a  member  of  a  school   board  the  besl  men  in  the  city  oughl 

to  be  selected  —men  intelligent,  I est,  public-spirited.     If 

this  republic  is  to  be  managed  by  its  citizens,  as.  in  fact,  it 
is.  every  citizen  oughl  to  be  intelligent.  To  lie  sure,  there 
are  many  citizens,  especially  women,  whodo  uot  vote.  Bui 
those  who  do  vote  oughl  to  understand  what  they  are  voting 
for  or  a  u  a  i  nst.  And  women,  even  if  they  do  not  vote,  oughl 
to  understand  the  questions  which  the  voters  arc  thinking 
about,  because  in  very  many  cases  the  opinions  of  women 
will  have  greal  weighl  with  Miters.  So  it  is  necessary  that 
everybody  in  a  republic  should  be  well  educated.  That  is 
why  the  public  schools  are  provided  and  arc  made  free  to  all. 

28.  [f  they  are  so  necessary  to  the  republic,  these  schools 
oughl  to  be  as  g I  as  possible.  Besides,  the,  school  build- 
ings   are    paid    for   and    the  teachers   are   paid   with    money 

which   belongs    to   all    the    | pie.     Therefore  the  school 

board,  who  are  selected  to  spend  this  money,  oughl  to  do  it 
so  that  all  the  people  gel  the  worth  of  it.  And  they  do  not 
gel  the  worth  of  il  if  the  buildings  are  bad  or  if  unfil  teach- 
ers are  appointed.  But  unless  the  members  of  the  school 
board  arc  honesl  and  unless  they  know  what  good  buildings 

arc  and   what    good    trading   arc.   the   people   arc  quite  sure 
13 


ITS  THE    YOUNG   AM  Eli  WAX 

to  be  cheated.      There  is  no  more  important  branch  of  the 
government  than  that  which  manages  the  schools. 

29.  Village  Officers — A  village  is  composed  of  a  small 
group  of  people  living  near  together.  The  only  difference 
between  a  city  and  a  village  is  that  the  city  is  larger.  A 
village,  like  a  city,  has  to  have  a  government.  The  village 
president  holds  a  place  like  that  of  the  mayor  in  a  city. 
Then,  there  is  a  treasurer,  to  keep  the  money  of  the  village  ; 
a  constable,  or  sometimes  several  constables,  who  are  the 
village  police,  and  some  other  officers.  Sometimes  a  village 
has  a  tire  department  and  a  water  department,  and  then,  of 
course,  it  has  to  have  officers  to  manage  them.  All  these 
officers  are  the  servants  of  the  village,  and  each  one  has 
special  duties. 

30.  School  Districts. — A  school  district  is  a  part  of  a 
county,  sometimes  a  village,  in  which  there  is  a  public 
school  for  the  people  who  live  in  the  district.  The  district 
is  not  very  large,  so  that  all  the  children  can  easily  walk  to 
school.  The  school  affairs  are  managed  by  a  sort  of  board, 
called  a  school  committee,  or  sometimes  trustees.  They  arc 
elected  by  the  people  of  the  district,  and  have  the  same 
powers  and  duties  as  the  board  of  education  in  a  city.  The 
district  school  in  the  country  is  often  a  small  building,  with 
only  one  teacher — one  in  the  summer  and  a  different  one  in 
winter.  The  larger  boys  seldom  go  to  school  in  the  sum- 
mer, being  too  busy  on  the  farms.  It  is  in  just  such  mod- 
est schools  that  many  of  our  best  and  greatest  men  have 
been  taught  all  they  ever  had  a  chance  to  learn  from  teach- 
ers and  books.  The  country  school  ought  to  have  as  good 
teachers  as  the  money  which  the  people  pay  will  provide. 


THE    TOUNQ   AMERICAN  179 

And  il  ought   tn  hr  the    l >ri<  1<-  of  every  district    bo    make    its 

school  as  good  as  possible. 

31.  Swiss  Schools. — The  common  schools  of  Switzer- 
land are  among  the  besl  in  the  world.  The  people  are 
eager  thai  they  shall  be  SO,  and  take  greai  interest  in  them 
all  the  time.     What  is  going  on  in  the  school  is  matter  of 

common  talk  in  a  Swiss  district,  which  the  people  find 
quite  as  interesting  as  the  weather  or  politics.  This  con- 
stant intelligent  interest,  of  course,  is  a  great  help  to  the 
teachers  and  a  greai  encouragement  to  the  pupils.  It 
would  he  a  good  thing  if  we  took  as  much  interest  in 
our  schools. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
Judge  and  Jury 

1.  If  a  citizen  is  accused  of  breaking  the  law,  he  is  liable 
to  be  put  in  prison,  or  otherwise  punished,  as  the  law  may 
direct.  But  by  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 
by  those  of  the  several  states,  no  one  can  be  punished  as  a 
criminal  unless  he  lias  been  duly  tried  in  a  court  of  justice 
and  found  guilty.  In  order  to  see  how  such  a  trial  is  con- 
ducted, and  what  it  means,  Ave  have  supposed  one  John 
Doe  to  be  accused  of  a  crime  and  to  be  brought  before  the 
court.     Let  us  imagine  ourselves  spectators  at  the  trial. 

2.  The  Trial  of  John  Doe  for  Burglary. — John  Doe 
lias  been  arrested  by  a  deputy  sheriff  on  the  charge  of 
burglary.  One  of  his  neighbors  woke  one  morning  to  find 
that  the  dining-room  window  had  been  broken  open  in  the 
night  and  that  the  silver  spoons  had  been  stolen.  Getting 
into  a  house  in  this  way  at  night  in  order  to  steal  is  what 
the  law  calls  burglary.  John  Doe  is  a  shiftless  fellow,  who 
was  seen  hanging  around  the  day  after  trying  to  sell  some 
silver  spoons  to  a  pawnbroker.  The  spoons  he  claimed  to 
have  found  in  a  small  parcel  by  the  roadside,  but  as  this 
story  was  doubted.  Doe  was  arrested  and  put  in  jail.  The 
county  attorney  made  inquiries  and  became  convinced  that 
the  burglar  was.  in  fact,  no  other  than  John  Doe.  In  a  few 
days  there  was  held  at  the  county  seat  a  meeting  of  what  is 


A    I'OI  li  I.    '  OUBT 

In  :i  police  conrl  minor  offenders  an  trinl  and  punished.    There  is  no  jury. 


182  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

known  as  the  grand  jury.  This  is  a  group  of  men,  not  more 
than  twenty-four  or  less  than  twelve  in  number,  selected 
from  the  citizens  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  whether  the  laws 
have  been  broken  by  anybody.  The  county  attorney  told  the 
grand  jury  his  reasons  for  believing  that  Doe  was  a  burglar. 
These  reasons  seemed  to  the  jury  to  be  good  ones,  and  so 
they  voted  that  John  Doe  should  be  tried  on  the  charge  of 
stealing  the  spoons — that  is,  of  committing  burglary.  The 
vote  of  the  grand  jury  was  written  out  on  paper  and  duly 
signed.  This  paper  is  called  an  indictment,  and  Doe  was 
now  said  to  be  indicted  for  burglary.  80  he  was  kept  in 
jail  until  he  should  be  tried. 

3.  But  the  fact  that  the  grand  jury  had  indicted  him  by 
no  means  made  it  sure  that  he  really  had  stolen  the  spoons. 
It  merely  meant  that  the  public  accusers,  the  grand  jury, 
thought  it  probable  that  he  was  guilty.  But  to  decide 
whether  he  was  or  not,  must  be  left  to  a  very  different 
body  of  men  acting  in  a  very  different  way.  So  we  see  that 
the  grand  jury  does  not  decide  the  question  of  guilt  or  inno- 
cence ;  it  merely  decides  whether,  on  the  whole,  it  is  worth 
while  to  keep  an  accused  man  in  jail  until  he  can  be  tried 
and  the  real  facts  found  out.  In  other  words,  the  grand 
jury  are,  as  we  have  said,  the  public  accusers.  In  our  coun- 
try no  one  can  be  kept  long  in  jail  or  tried  on  a  charge 
of  breaking  the  laws  unless  a  grand  jury  have  voted  to 
indict  him. 

4.  We  have  said  that  Doe  had  to  be  tried  in  order  to 
decide  whether  he  was  guilty  or  not.  Let  us  look  into  the 
room  in  which  the  trial  is  going  on,  and  we  shall  see  at 
once  what  we  mean  by  trying  a  man. 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN  183 

5.  In  the  county  court-house  are  many  offices  and  rooms. 

One  of  these  is  the  court-room,  and  it  is  full  of  people.  It 
is  a  rather  large  room,  with  a  high  ceiling.  At  one  end  is 
a  desk  (.11  a  raised  platform.  Behind  this  desk  sits  a 
gentleman  who  is  evidently  presiding.  No  one  speaks 
without  addressing  him,  and  everybody  promptly  obeys 
when  lie  gives  any  directions.  IT  there  i-  any  difference  of 
opinion  about  what  the  law  mean-  he  decides  it.  Whoever 
speaks  to  him  does  not  call  him  by  name  ;  they  say.  "  Your 
honor."  This  gentleman  is  the  judge.  He  has  been 
elected  by  the  people,  or  else  appointed  by  the  governor 
of  the  state.  Some  states  have  one  way  and  some  another. 
The  judge's  term  of  office  is  several  years,  in  some  states 
for  life.  A  person  selected  as  judge  is  always  a  lawyer, 
and  he  OUghl  to  he  a  good  one.  Besides  that,  lie  should 
he  a  very  uprighl  man.  fair  and  just  to  everybody,  incapa- 
ble of  being  frightened  or  flattered  or  bribed.  There  is  no 
more  honorable  place  in  the  whole  irovernment  than  thai 
of  a  judge,  and  a  person  who  holds  that  place  is  treated 
with  great   respect. 

6.  <>n  another  raised  platform,  ai  the  left  of  the  judge, 
are  twelve  men  sitting  in  chairs.  They  differ  very  much 
one  from  another.  Evidently  none  of  them  are  lawyers. 
Some  are  farmers,  some  are  merchants,  some  are  me- 
chanics. This  is  the  jury.  They  are  not  appointed, 
as  is  the  judge,  for  a  long  term.  Their  names  have  been 
drawn  by  lot  from  a  list  of  citizens  in  the  county,  and  they 
are  to  serve  for  a  single  term  of  the  court  (a  U-w  weeks), 
or  perhaps  merely  for  one  trial.  These  twelve  men  have 
left   their   business  and  are  obliged  to  give  their  whole  time 


184  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

to  the  trial  of  John  Doe  until  his  case  is  decided.  Then 
they  are  to  be  excused  from  further  attendance  at  court, 
while  the  judge  goes  on  with  a  new  jury  to  try  another 
case.  The  jury  do  not  (at  least  that  is  the  law  in  most 
states)  decide  disputes  about  the  meaning  of  the  law.  It 
is  the  judge  who  does  that.  The  jury  decide  disputes 
about  facts.  In  this  case  the  indictment  says  that  Doe 
forced  his  way  into  a  house  at  night  and  stole  certain  sil- 
ver spoons.  Doe  denies  this,  and  says  that  at  the  time  of 
the  burglary  he  was  many  miles  away  from  the  place.  Of 
course  both  these  statements  cannot  be  true.  And  it  is 
the  business  of  the  jury  to  decide  which  is  true  ;  in  other 
words,  to  decide  what  are  the  facts  in  the  case. 

7.  At  the  right  of  the  judge  is  another  little  raised  plat- 
form with  a  railing  fronting  the  jury.  This  is  called  the 
dock,  and  here  the  accused  person  is  placed  during  the 
trial.     John  Doe  is  sitting  here,  looking  at  the  jury. 

8.  Just  in  front  of  the  judge,  at  another  desk,  but  lower, 
sits  a  clerk,  who  keeps  a  careful  record  of  all  that  is  done. 

9.  On  the  floor  in  front  of  the  judge  and  the  clerk  is  a 
space  covered  with  chairs  and  a  table  or  two.  Here  sit 
a  number  of  busy  men.  most  of  them  with  green  bags. 
from  which  they  draw  many  papers.  These  men  are 
lawyers.  When  a  person  is  on  trial  before  a  court  of 
justice  he  needs  to  have  his  case  managed  by  one  who 
knows  the  laws,  and  who  understands  how  to  make  clear 
and  convincing  statements  to  the  judge  and  jury.  So  he 
employs  a  lawyer.  And  the  lawyers  whom  we  now  see 
gathered  in  court  are  here,  some  of  them,  ready  for  the 
next  case,  some  interested  in  this,  some  merely  watching 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN  185 

whal  is  going  on  and  hoping  thai  sometime  they,  too,  will 
he  employed;  these  lasl  are  mostl}  very  young  men  just 
beginning  the  profession. 

10.  The  space  reserved  for  the  lawyers  has  a  railing 
which  divides  it  from  the  body  of  the  room.  Here,  in 
benches  which  rise  one  above  another,  arc  the  audience. 
People  arc  usually  quite  fr<M-  to  sil  and  watch  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  court.  Of  course  the  friends  of  any  one  who  is 
on  trial  are  present.  And  many  go  from  mere  curiosity, 
especially  if  the  case  is  one  which  has  been  much  dis- 
cussed in  the  newspapers. 

ii.  In  this  court-room,  then,  all  i-  ready  for  the  trial  of 
John  Doe.  The  judge  and  clerk  arc  in  place  The  jury 
have  been  -circled  and  have  taken  an  oath  to  decide  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony.  'The  prisoner  has  been  brought 
in  and  placed  in  the  dock.  He  has  had  the  indictment 
read  to  him  and  has  been  asked  to  say  whether  he  is  guilty 
or  not.  He  has  said  thai  he  is  not  guilty.  Then  the 
county  attorney  rises  and  addresses  the  court.  lie  details 
i he  crime,  and  tells  in  a  general  way  how  he  expects  to 
prove  that  ii  was  hue  who  committed  it.  Then  he  calls 
his  witnesses.  The  man  whose  silver  was  stolen,  some 
members  of  his  family,  and  his  servant,  tell  what  facts 
they  know.  Each  of  these  is  a  ivitness.  The  story  which 
each  tells,  or  the  answers  he  gives  to  the  attorney's  ques- 
tions, is  called  his  testimony,  or  evidence.  Each  witness,  as 
his  name  is  called,  come-  forward  and  takes  \\\<  place  in  a 
chair  on  a  little  platform  facing  the  jury — the  stand.  He 
then  take-  ;i  solemn  oath  to  tell  ''the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and    nothing   hut    the   truth."      Then   the  attornev 


L86  TEE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

questions  the  witness,  the  answers  being  carefully  recorded 
by  the  clerk.  For  this  purpose  the  clerk  has  a  stenogra- 
pher, who  is  able  to  write  in  shorthand  as  fast  as  a  man  can 
talk.  When  the  attorney  has  finished  questioning  a  wit- 
ness, the  prisoner's  attorney  has  the  privilege  of  asking 
questions.  This  is  called  the  cross-examination,  and  of 
course  these  questions  are  very  searching.  If  a  witness 
has  not  spoken  the  truth  or  has  kept  anything  back  which 
might  help  the  prisoner,  the  cross-examination  is  apt  to 
bring  it  out. 

12.  We  have  said  that  each  witness,  as  he  is  called  to  the 
stand,  takes  an  oath  to  tell  the  truth.  If,  then,  lie  tells  a 
falsehood,  he  is  guilty  of  what  the  law  calls  perjury,  and  if 
he  is  found  out  he  will  himself  be  arrested  and  tried  for 
that  crime.     If  he  is  found  guilty  he  will  be  sent  to  prison. 

13.  After  the  county  attorney  has  taken  the  testimony 
of  the  members  of  the  household  whose  silver  has  been 
stolen,  he  calls  other  witnesses.  Some  of  them  tell  what 
they  think  of  Doe's  character — that  he  is  lazy,  does  not 
work,  has  been  guilty  of  petty  pilfering.  Others  saw  him 
hanging  around  the  house  the  day  before  the  burglary. 
Then  the  man  who  bought  the  spoons  testifies  that  the 
spoons  which  the  sheriff  took  from  him,  and  which  are 
produced  in  court,  are  the  very  spoons  which  he  bought 
from  Doe  a  few  days  after  the  burglary.  The  owner  of 
the  spoons  is  called  back  to  the  stand  and  declares  that 
they  are  his  property — the  ones  which  were  stolen.  Here 
the  county  attorney  rests  his  case — that  is,  he  tells  the 
court  that  he  has  no  more  witnesses  ;  he  thinks  he  has 
proved  Doe  guilty. 


THE    YOTJNQ     I  KERICAN  181 

14.  Now  is  the  turn  of  the  prisoner's  attorney,  and  lie 
calls  what  witnesses  he  has.  One  declares  thai  he  has 
known  Doe  for  a  long  time,  hut  never  knew  him  to  steal. 
hue  himself  is  put  on  the  stand,  and  explains  thai  he  was 
idling  about  the  house  in  question  merely  because  he  was 
waiting  to  speak  to  a  man  employed  there,  who,  it  turned 
(int.    was   away   that    day.      As    to    the  spoons,    he   declared 

that   he  picked  them  up  in  the  road,  tied,  up  in  a  bundle. 

As  they  had  no  name  or  initials,  he  did  not  know  whose 
they  were,  and  thoughl  he  had  a  righl  to  them,  as  he 
found  them.  The  nighl  of  the  burglary  he  said  that  he 
spent  sleeping  in  a  barn  three  miles  away.  A  farm 
laborer,  who  was  the  next  witness,  swore  that  he  saw 
Doe  enter  the  barn  and  lie  down  to  sleep  in  the  hay.  and 
that  at  a  very  early  hour  the  next  morning.  <rnin«r  to  U'n\ 
the  horses,  he  saw  Doe  yet  sleeping.  Each  of  these 
witnesses  was  cross-examined  by  the  county  attorney.  In 
t lie  course  of  cross-examining  the  farm  laborer  he  brought 
out  the  fact  thai  there  was  plcnt\  of  time  between  his 
two  visits  to  the  barn  for  Doe  to  go  to  the  other  house, 
steal    the   spoons,    and    return. 

15.  After  all  the  witnesses  had  been  examined,  each  of 
the  attorneys  made  a  speech,  one  arguing  that  the  evidence 
plainly  showed  that  Doe  stole  the  spoons,  the  other  argu- 
ing that  it  was  not  proven — that  there  was  room  Eor  a 
reasonable  doubt — and  so  that  the  jury  should  find  him  not 
guilty. 

16.  Then  the  judge  addressed  the  jury.  He  explained 
to  them  just  what  the  law  means  by  burglary,  what  tnusl 
be  proved  in  order    to  find   the    prisoner  guilty,   what    is 


iss  THE    Y0UN6   AMERICAN 

meant  by  a  reasonable  doubt — that  if  they  had  such  a 
cloulit  their  verdict  [i.e.,  their  decision)  should  he  "not 
guilty." 

17.  The  jury  were  now  led  from  the  room  by  an  officer 
of  the  court,  and  shown  into  a  private  room,  where  they 
could  talk  the  ease  over.  After  a  half  hour  they  sent 
word  to  the  judge  that  they  had  agreed  on  a  verdict,  and 
accordingly  were  led  hack  to  their  places  in  the  court. 
Being  asked  if  they  had  agreed  on  a  verdict,  the  foreman 
of  the  jury  rose  in  his  place  and  replied  that  they  had. 
"What  is  your  verdict  ?»  "Guilty."  Then  the  roll  of 
the  jury  was  called,  and  each  man  in  turn  rose  and  said 
that  that  was  Ins  verdict.  Unless  every  one  of  the  twelve 
voted  ••guilty."  the  prisoner  could  not  be  convicted. 

18.  When  it  was  shown  that  the  jury  were  of  one  mind, 
the  prisoner  was  told  to  stand,  and  the  judge  addressed 
a  few  words  to  him.  He  reminded  him  that  he  had  had 
a  fair  and  impartial  trial  before  a,  jury  of  his  countrymen  ; 
that,  as  he  was  too  poor  to  pay  a  lawyer  to  act  as  his 
attorney,  the  court  had  assigned  him  one,  who  would  be 
paid  by  the  state,  and  that  the  jury  had  found  him  guilty. 
Then  the  judge  went  on  to  state  the  penalty  of  his  crime 

—the  sentence— which  was  three  years  at  hard  labor  in 
the  state  penitentiary.  The  prisoner  was  then  led  away 
by  the  officers,  and  the  trial  of  John  Doe  was  ended. 

19.  Criminal  Trials. — Of  course  trials  on  criminal 
charges  will  differ  in  many  details  from  the  one  above 
sketched.  Bui  all  are  alike  in  some  important  points.  No 
one  accused  of  crime  can  he  considered  guilty  and  punished 
unless  lie  has  been  indicted  by  a  grand  jury,  or  has  in  some 


THE    YOUNG     l  MERICAN  189 

similar  waj  been  publicly  accused.  He  must  then  be  tried 
by  a  regular  court,  and  cannol  be  convicted  withou!  the 
unanimous  vote  of  a  jur\  of  twelve  men.  If  be  cannol 
afford  to  hire  a  lawyer  to  take  care  of  his  defense,  the  state 
furnishes  him  one  free  of  cost.  It'  his  witnesses  are  reluc- 
i;ini  to  testify,  the  stair  compels  them  to  do  so.  And  wit- 
nesses who  are  known  to  testify  falsely  are  severely  pun- 
ished. All  this  care  our  republic  takes  that  people  may 
not  be  falsely  accused  and  unjustly  punished 

20.  The  citizens  of  our  republic  have  one  other  impor- 
tant protection  againsl  being  kept  in  prison  unjustly.  If 
any  one  is  put  in  prison,  as  he  believes,  contrary  to  law,  his 
attorney  may  go  to  a  judge  and  ask  him  to  look  into  the 
matter.  The  judge  may  then  -end  an  order  to  the  jailer 
directing  him  to  bring  the  prisoner  before  him  (the  judge) 
and  explain  the  reason  for  the  imprisonment.  Such  an 
order  from  a  judge  any  jailer  must  obey.  If.  when  the 
judvv  hear,-  the  reason-,  he  does  not  think  they  are  good 
ones,  he  has  a  righl  to  have  the  prisoner  set  at  liberty. 
'The  order  sent  to  a  jailer  directing  him  to  bring  a  prisoner 
before  a  judge  is  called  a  writ  of  habeas  cm-pus.  Habeas 
corptis  are  Latin  word-,  and  mean  "produce  the  body." 

21.  Perhaps  on  the  hearing  the  judge  may  conclude  thai 
the  prisoner  is  justly  confined.  Then  the  order  will  be, 
not  for  release,  hut  for  the  imprisonment  to  continue.  Or 
the  judge  may  think  that  it  is  quite  righl  for  the  prisoner 
to  be  tried  on  the  charge  which  has  been  made  against 
him,  hut  that  meanwhile  it  is  not  necessary  to  keep  him  in 
jail.  Then  the  judge  may  order  the  prisoner  admitted  /" 
bail.      What    that    means    is.   that    if  persons   approved    h\ 


100  THE    YOUNG  AMERICAN 

tlir  judge  will  agree  to  forfeit  a  fixed  sum  of  money  in  ease 
the  accused  person  does  not  appear  at  the  trial,  then  he 
(the  accused)  is  set  at  liberty.  Of  course  it  is  Ins  duty  to 
present  himself  for  trial  at  such  time  as  may  be  set. 

22.  All  these  pains  are  taken  so  that  the  law  shall  do 
injustice  to  no  one.  And  there  is  another  protection.  If 
the  prisoner  is  found  guilty  and  thinks  that  in  some  way 
his  trial  was  not  a  fair  one — that  the  judge  made  a  mistake 
about  the  law,  or  that  the  jury  was  prejudiced  against  him 

-then  he  has  the  right  to  appeal  to  a  higher  court.  And 
if  the  judge  in  that  court  can  be  made  to  think  that  there 
has  been  some  error  in  the  lower  court,  he  may  order  that 
the  whole  case  shall  be  tried  over  again. 

23.  But  sometimes,  by  means  of  all  these  safeguards,  a 
real  criminal  is  able  to  escape  punishment,  or  at  least  to 
delay  it  for  a  very  long  time.  More  than  a  year  has  been 
known  to  pass  after  a  criminal's  ar-rest  before  he  is  finally 
sentenced. 

24.  "Lynch  Law."- -In  some  parts  of  the  country, 
when  a  particularly  brutal  crime  has  been  committed,  the 
people  are  anxious  that  the  criminals  shall  be  punished 
surely  and  promptly.  And  if  they  fear  great  delay,  or 
perhaps  that  there  will  be  no  punishment  at  all,  then  they 
get  greatly  excited.  At  times  a  mob  gathers,  and  the  pris- 
oner is  taken  from  the  jail  by  force,  and  perhaps  hanged 
on  the  limb  of  a  tree.     This  is  called  lynching. 

25.  An  act  of  lynching  is,  in  fact,  itself  a  brutal  crime. 
There  is  no  fair  trial,  of  course,  and  there  is  always  danger 
that  it  is  an  innocent  person  who  has  been  punished  ; 
indeed,  that   has  often   happened.      In  a  civilized  hind  all 


THE    YOUNO    AMERICAN  191 

offenses  against  the  Law  ought  to  be  dealt  with  in  a  law- 
ful way.  It'  the  laws  are  not  good,  the  people  can  choose 
a  Legislature  which  will  make  them  better.  Bui  lawless 
lynchings  are  a  disgrace  to  our  republic,  and  people  who 
love  their  country  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  them. 

26.  Civil  Trials. —  But  our  courts  try  other  cases  besides 
those  of  criminals.  It'  two  men  have  a  disagreement  about 
money,  or  a  piece  of  land,  for  instance,  and  cannot  settle 
it  between  them,  it  is  settled  in  a  court  of  law.  The  one 
who  appeals  to  the  court  is  called  the  plaintiff,  and  the 
other  the  defendant.  Each  has  his  lawyer  to  conduct  the 
case.  Judge  and  jury  form  the  court,  the  judge  presid- 
ing, as  in  the  trial  of  John  Doe,  and  deciding  the  law, 
the  jury  deciding  disputes  about  facts.  There  is  the  same 
right  of  appeal  to  a  higher  court  as  has  been  explained 
above,  so  that  every  ease  will  he  tried  with  great  care. 
Such  a  ease  as  conies  from  a  dispute  about  property,  in 
which  no  law  has  been  violated,  is  called  a  civil  case. 
The  case  of  John  i )<►<■  was  a  criminal  case. 

27.  The  Courts. — Their  are  two  different  kinds  of 
courts  in  our  republic,   federal  courts  and  state  courts. 

28.  State  Courts. —  Kadi  state  has  such  courts  as  it 
[ileases.  In  each  town  or  village,  and  in  different  parts  of 
a  city,  are  held  courts  which  settle  very  trifling  disputes. 
The  judge  in  such  a  court  is  called  a  justice  of  the  peace. 
Thecasesare  usually  so  trifling  thai  they  are  not  referred 
to  a  jury. 

29.  In  each  county  is  a  court  called  a  county  COlirt. 
Then,  in  each  state  is  one  court  which  is  the  highest  of 
all  in  the  state.     This  is   usually  called   the.  supreme  court. 


192  Till-:    Y0UN6    AMERICAN 

From  its  decisions,  of  course,  there  can  be  no  appeal  within 
the  state.  In  New  York  this  court  is  called  the  court  of 
appeals.  Then,  there  are  several  courts  in  each  state  to 
which  appeals  are  taken  from  the  county  courts,  and  to 
which  some  cases  are  taken  directly  instead  of  going  to  the 
county  court  at  all.  These  intermediate  courts  have 
various  names  in  different  states.  In  these  courts  and 
in  the  supreme  court  there  are  several  judges  instead  of 
one.  For  instance,  in  the  Illinois  supreme  court  there 
are  seven  judges,  and  there  are  the  same  number  in  the 
New  York  court  of  appeals. 

30.  There  are  other  courts  in  the  states  also.  It  is  not 
necessary  here  to  explain  them  all.  Any  lawyer  will  tell 
you  what  are  the  courts  in  your  state.  I  )<»  not  fail  to  find 
out. 

31.  Federal  Courts. — The  federal  courts  are  of  several 
kinds.  Lowest  in  the  list  are  the  district  courts.  The 
entire  republic  is  divided  into  seventy-one  districts,  with 
one  judge  in  each.  At  the  city  of  Washington  sits  the 
United  States  supreme  court,  consisting  of  nine  judges 
justices,  they  are  called.  Then,  as  in  the  states,  there  are 
certain  intermediate  courts.  Appeals  are  carried  in  some 
cases  to  these  intermediate  courts  from  the  district  courts, 
and  from  t  he  intermediate  courts  to  the  supreme  courts. 
Some  other  cases  come,  lirst  of  all.  in  one  of  the  inter- 
mediate courts.  But  always  the  last  appeal  is  to  the 
supreme  court.  From  the  decision  of  that  court  there  is 
no  appeal. 

32.  The  Constitution  of  the  United  States  tells  what  sort 
of  eases  shall  he  heard    in    the   federal  courts,  and  all   other 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 


193 


■m*m 


Published  ud  copj  ri  :litni   i  - v   \   w    r.u.n  \  <  .    i 

JOHN    MARSHALL 

\*  a  young  man  Marshall  was  an  officer  in  the  revolutionary  army.     II'-  afterwards 
became  a  lawyer,  was  lor  a  short    time  mcmbei  of  the  cabinet  of  President  John 
Adams,  ami  by  him  was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  tin-  United 
States.    He  was  the  moBt  illustrious  of  the  eminent  men  who  have  held  that  dietiT) 
guished  position.    Chief  Justice  Marshall  died  in  1835. 


cases  are  heard  instate  courts.    Ami  the  constitution  of  cadi 
state  fixes  the  number  ami  duties  of  courts  \'<>r  thai  state. 

33.  All  the  federal  judges  are  appointed  by  the  president 
of  the  I'nitei]  States.  Bui  first  he  sends  in  their  names  to 
the  United  State-  senate,  ami  unless  that  body  approves, 
the  appointment  is  not  made.  Federal  judges  hold  office 
as  long  as  the)  do  not  misbehave. 

1  ! 


194  THE    YOUNO    AMERICAN 

34.  The  supreme  court  of  the  United  States  is  one  of 
the  most  famous  ami  respected  courts  in  the  world.  The 
judges  have  always  been  honest  and  able    men    and    they 

arc  very  independent.  If  any  legislative  body,  even  the 
congress  of  the  United  States,  makes  a  law  which  is 
contrary  to  the  federal  Constitution,  the  supreme  court. 
in  deciding  a  case  under  the  law.  will  plainly  declare  it 
to  be  no  law  at  all.  because  it  is  unconstitutional.  Then 
mi  one  will  be  hound  to  obey  that  act  any  longer.  This 
is  a  very  great  power,  and  one  which  is  not  possessed  by 
the  courts  of  European  nations. 

35.  The  supreme  court  is  a  very  dignified  body.  The 
members  wear  silken  gowns  when  the  court  is  in  session. 
Their  meetings  are  held  in  the  capitol  at  Washington. 
One  of  the  nine  members,  the  chief  justice,  presides.  The 
most  famous  of  the  chief  justices  was  John  Marshall,  of 
Virginia.  He  held  the  office  for  over  thirty  years,  from 
1801  to  1835. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

How   the   Government   Gets    Money 

i.  Cost  of  Government. — All  this  work  which  the 
governmenl  does  for  the  people  takes  money.  Members  of 
Legislatures  and  judges  and  mayors  and  policemen  and  Bre- 
men and  all  the  resl  of  the  servants  of  the  people  cannol 
afford  to  work  for  nothing.  They  have  to  be  paid.  The 
salary  of  the  president  of  the  United  States  is  $50,000  a 
year.  Members  of  congress,  whether  senators  or  repre- 
sentatives, receive  */),<><><>  a  year.  Members  of  the  presi- 
dent's cabinet  have  $8,000,  and  justices  of  the  supreme 
court  $10,000  a  year.  The  chief  justice  has  $10,500. 
There  are  very  \\-w  public  officers  who  are  nut  paid. 
Members  of  school  boards  and  of  some  few  other  boards 
seldom  have  salaries.  In  cities  there  are  streets  to  be 
paved  and  sewers  to  be  made.  Then,  there  are  public 
buildings  of  all  sorts — post-offices,  court-houses,  school- 
houses,  rire-ciiirine  houses,  prisons,  and  many  others.  All 
these  require  money  to  build.  So  we  see  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  have  any  sort  of  government  without  money 
to  keep  it   going.      Where  does  the  money  come  from? 

2.  Taxes.  —  It  is  the  people  who  create  the  government 
and  for  whom  the  governmenl  does  the  work.  So,  of 
course,  the  people    must    pay  the  cost.     And   the   money 


15)6  THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

which    people   pay  to   the   government    for  its  supporl    is 
called  taxes. 

3.  Taxes  are  paid  to  the  federal  government  and  to  the 
state  governments. 

4.  Federal  Taxes. — The  most  of  the  taxes  of  the  fed- 
eral government  come  from  duties,  or,  as  they  are  also 
called,  ctistoms  (page  L62).  Duties  are  sums  of  monej 
paid  by  merchants  to  the  federal  government  for- the  priv- 
ilege of  bringing  goods  into  our  countrv  from  foreign 
countries.  For  instance,  we  gel  sugar  from  Cuba,  coffee 
from  Brazil  and  from  Java,  tea  from  China,  wines  from 
France,  and  immense  quantities  of  all  sorts  of  goods  from 
Great  Britain.  When  a  ship  loaded  with  foreign  goods 
reaches  one  of  our  seaports,  it  is  not  allowed  to  land  its 
cargo  until  officers  of  the  Tinted  States  treasury  depart- 
ment have  made  an  examination  to  see  what  is  on  hoard, 
and  arrangements  have  been  made  to  pay  the  duty.  The 
duty  is  sometimes  reckoned  at  a  certain  per  cent,  of  the 
value  of  the  goods,  sometimes  at  a  fixed  sum  on  a  certain 
quantity.  The  former  are  called  ad  valorem,  the  Latter 
specific,  duties.  In  each  of  our  border  towns  there  is  a 
United  States  custom-house,  whose  officers  are  busy  ex- 
amining imported  goods  and  receiving  the  duties,  which 
they  then  pay  over  into  the  Tinted  States  treasury.  From 
this  source  the  treasury  received  in  the  year  L896  no  less 
than  $160,000,000,  and  in  1890  the  amount  was  $229,- 
000,000.  These  are  sums  of  money  so  vast  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  imagine  them.  But  all  this  and  much  more 
were  used  by  the  treasury  in  paving  the  expenses  of  the 
federal     government.       In     fact,    about    a    hundred     fifty 


THE    YOUNG    AMERIi  Ah  M 

millions  more  are  paid  into  the  treasury  from  whal  is  called 
the  internal  revenue.  This  consists  of  money  paid  b\ 
manufacturers  of  distilled  spirits,  like  whisky,  and  of 
tobacco  and  cigars,  and  n  few  other  things.  Every  time 
one  buys  a  stamp  to  mail  a  letter  a  tax  is  paid  to  the 
governmenl  of  the  United  States.  This  tax  is  ool  a  large 
one,  as  all  the  governmenl  want-  is  to  gel  enough  from  the 
sale  of  stamps  to  pay  the  actual  cos!  of  carrying  the  mail-. 
In  fact,  this  <-ust  is  seldom  quite  mel  by  the  sale  of  stamps. 

5.  Indirect  Taxes.— If  a  merchanl  pays  a  duty  on 
goods  which  he  imports,  he  will  try  to  gel  it  hack  by 
charging  a  higher  price  when  he  sells  them.  Ami  the 
same  is  true  of  the  manufacturer  of  whisky  or  cigars. 
Of  course,  if  it  happens  thai  other  people  have  similar 
articles  to  sell  which  are  ooi  imported  and  which  can  be 
sold  at  a  profil  for  less  money  than  the  importer  wants, 
the  latter  may  nol  be  aide  to  gel  hack  the  tax  he  has  paid. 
Bui  usually  the  higher  price  can  be  obtained;  and  when- 
ever that  is  the  case,  we  see  at  mice  that  the  tax  is  paid  in 
the  end  by  the  person  who  drinks  the  coffee  or  who  smokes 
the  cigars.  Such  taxes,  which  in  the  end  are  paid  by  some 
uiie  else  than  the  person  from  whom  the  money  comes  t" 
the  government,  are  called  indirect  taxes.  Federal  taxes 
have  nearl\  all  been  of  this  kind,  and  all  of  them  are  pro- 
vided in  laws  made  by  the  congress  of  the  United  States. 

6.  State  Taxes. — The  taxes  which  pay  the  expense  of 
state,  county,  and  city  governmenl  are  provided  in  laws 
made  by  the  state  legislature  or  by  local  bodies. 

7.  People  who  own  land  ami  buildings  pay  a  certain  sum 
every  year.     A  public  officer,  the  assessor,  decides  whal  a 


v.*  THE    WUNO   AMERICAN 

given  piece  of  land  is  worth.  This  is  usually  a  smaller  sum 
than  the  property  would  actually  bring  in  the  market. 
Then  the  tax  paid  by  the  owner  is  great  or  small,  according 
to  the  assessed  value  of  his  property,  the  rate  of  taxation 
being  so  many  cents  or  mills  on  the  dollar  as  may  be  deter- 
mined by  the  legislature.  Usually  a  part  of  the  tax  is  for 
the  state  government,  a  part  for  the  county,  and  a  part  for 
the  city  or  village.  This  sort  of  tax  is  called  direct,  because 
it  cannot  so  easily  he  passed  on  to  some  one  else. 

8.  People  in  some  states  also  pay  a  tax  on  other  valuables 
which  they  may  own  besides  land  and  buildings.  The 
assessor  decides  as  well  as  he  can  what  each  person's  things 
are  worth,  and  the  tax  is  paid  accordingly.  In  some  states, 
again,  a  poll  lux  is  levied  ;  that  is.  a  certain  amount  to  he 
paid  by  each  person,  without  regard  to  his  property. 

9.  Public  Debts. — Sometimes  the  expenses  of  the  gov- 
ernment are  so  great  that  even  very  large  taxes  are  not 
enough  to  pay  them.  Then  the  government  borrows 
money,  giving  to  the  lender  a  bond,  to  show  that  the 
money  is  owed  and  will  be  paid.  On  this  bond  the  govern- 
ment pays  interest  every  year,  and  in  the  end  expects  to 
pay  the  principal.  Of  course  the  taxes  have  to  be  made 
greater  so  as  to  pay  these  charges. 

10.  The  debts  which  governments  have  to  carry  in  this 
way  are  very  great.  Cities  borrow  money,  usually  for 
erecting  public  buildings,  paving  streets,  making  sewers, 
and  the  like.  Some  city  governments  have  been  extrava- 
gant and  dishonest,  and  in  this  way  such  cities  have  great 
debts  with  very  little  to  show  for  them. 

11.  The  debt  of  the  federal  government  has  been  caused 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN  199 

principally  by  war.  Bach  time  the  nation  has  had  a  war 
the  government  has  hail  to  borrow  mone>  to  earn  it  on. 
The  debl  of  the  revolutionary  war  ami  of  the  war  of  L812 
was  paid  off  in  L835.  Bui  in  L846  we  fell  into  war  with 
Mexico,  and  from  L861  to  L865  we  had  a  greal  civil  war. 
The  latter  especially  was  enormously  costly.  WTien  tin-  war 
ended,  in  L865,  the  debt  of  the  federal  government  was 
aearly  three  thousand  millions  of  dollars  (2,773  millions). 
Tin'  treasury  paid  oul  during  one  year  ending  with  dune. 
L896,  over  thirty-five  million  dollars  as  interesl  mi  the 
existing  debt,  the  principal  id'  which  even  now  amounts  to 
nearly  a  thousand  millions.  Besides  the  interest  on  the 
debt,  we  have  in  the  pensions  another  expense  caused  by 
the  war.  Soldiers  and  sailors  who  were  disabled  in  the 
war.  or  who  have  since  become  unable  to  work,  and  widows 
and  orphan  children  of  war  veterans,  receive  a  sum  of 
money  each  year  from  the  federal  treasury.  In  all  nearly 
a  million  people  are  now  receiving  war  pensions,  and  they 
were  paid  in  the  year  ending  with  June,  L896,  the  sum  of 
a  hundred  thirty-nine  millions  of  dollars.  So  we  are 
yet  paying  the  cost  of  our  great  civil  war  from  the  national 
taxes,  and  it  will  he  many  years  before  the  payment  will  he 
ended. 

12.  Wars  and  Taxes. — As  we  have  seen,  the  great 
national  debl  has  been  created  by  wars.  To  pay  this  debl 
it  is  necessary  for  t lie  people  to  suhmit  to  heavy  taxes  for 
many  years.  If  we  Eeel  that  the  wars  were  necessary,  we 
can  endure  these  taxes  patiently.  But  it'  we  should  he  so 
foolish  as  to  iro  to  war  from  the  mere  desire  to  win  victo- 
ries— to  get    military    "glory,"  as    it    is    called— then    the 


200  Till-:    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

taxes,  as  well  as  the  cos!  in  blood  and  suffering,  would  be 
a  price  Ear  too  dear.  No  war  is  just  unless  it  cannot  be 
avoided  without  loss  of  liberty  or  honor. 

13.  What  a  shrewd  English  writer  thought  of  the  price 
of  a  war  of  glory  it  may  be  interesting  to  see.  We  should 
remember  that  a  common  nickname  for  England  is  "  John 
Bull,"  as  •'  Brother  Jonathan  "  is  for  the  United  States. 


Taxes   the    Price   of  Glory 

Sydney  Smith* 

John  Bull  can  inform  Jonathan  what  are  the  inevitable 
consequences  of  being  too  fond  of  Glory : — Taxes  !  Taxes  up< in 
every  article  which  enters  into  the  mouth,  or  covers  the  back, 
or  is  placed  under  the  foot:  taxes  upon  everything  which  it  is 
pleasant  to  see,  bear,  feel,  smell,  or  taste;  taxes  upon  warmth, 
light,  and  locomotion:  taxes  on  everything  on  earth,  and  the 
waters  under  the  earth:  on  everything  that  comes  from  abroad, 
or  is  grown  at  home;  taxes  on  the  raw  material;  taxes  on 
every  fresh  value  that  is  added  to  it  by  the  industry  of  man; 
taxes  on  the  sauce  which  pampers  man's  appetite,  and  the  drug 
that  restores  him  to  health;  on  the  ermine  which  decorates  the 
Judge,  and  the  rope  which  hangs  the  criminal  ;  on  the  poor 
man's  salt,  and  the  rich  man's  spice:  on  the  brass  nails  of  the 
coffin,  and  the  ribbons  of  the  bride;— at  bed  or  board,  couchant 
or  levant,  we  must  pay. 

The  schoobboy  whips  his  taxed  top  :  the  beardless  youth 
manages  his  taxed  horse,  with  a  taxed  bridle,  on  a  taxed  road  ; 
— and  the  dying  Englishman,  pouring  his  medicine,  which  has 

*  The  Rev.  Sydnej  Smith  was  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  died  in 
1845.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Edinburgh  Review,  and  was  famous  as  a  wit  and 
caustic  critic. 


UNITED  STATES  SOLDIERS. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN  201 

paid  seven  percent.,  into  ;i  spoon  thai  has  paid  fifteen  | •<  i-  cent., 
Hings  himself  I »:«<•)<  upon  hi>  chintz  bed,  which  has  paid  twenty- 
two  per  cent.,  makes  his  will  on  an  eight  pound  stamp,  and 
expires  in  the  arms  of  an  apothecary,  who  lias  paid  a  license 
of  a  hundred  pounds  for  the  privilege  of  putting  him  to  death. 
His  whole  property  is  then  immediately  taxed  from  two  to  ten 
per  cent.  Besides  the  probate,  large  fees  are  demanded  for 
burying  him  in  the  chancel;  his  virtues  arc  handed  down  to 
posterity  on  taxed  marble  ;  and  he  is  then  gathered  to  his 
fathers,     to  be  taxed  no  more. 

in  addition  to  all  this,  the  habil  <»!'  dealing  with  large  sums 
will  make  the  Government  avaricious  and  profuse;  and  the 
system  itself  will  infallibly  generate  the  base  vermin  of  spie^ 
and  informers,  and  a  still  more  pestilent  race  of  political  tools 
and  retainers  of  the  meanest  and  most  odious  description; 
while  the  prodigious  patronage  which  the  collecting  of  this 
splendid  revenue  will  throw  into  the  hands  of  ( i-overnmenl  will 
invest  it  with  so  vast  an  influence,  and  hold  out  such  means 
and  temptations  to  corruption,  as  all  the  virtue  and  public  spirit, 
even  of  Republicans,  will  he  unable  to  resist.  Every  wise 
Jonathan  should  remember  this  ! 


CHAPTER   XV 

Who    We    Are 

i.  Americans  Not  of  One  Race. — Much  is  said  by 
some  people  about  "  Americans/'  and  Americans  are 
quite  right  in  being  proud  of  their  country,  lint,  for  all 
that,  it  is  just  as  well  for  us  not  to  look  down  on  the  peo- 
ple of  other  countries.  The  fact  is  that  the  white  people 
of  our  republic  all  of  them  either  were  born  in  Europe 
or  are  the  descendants  of  those  who  came  from  Europe  not 
Sd  very  many  years  ago. 

2.  English. — The  first  European  people  who  came  to 
America,  north  of  Florida,  were  English.  They  settled  in 
Virginia  in  L607,  less  than  three  hundred  years  ago. 

3.  But,  in  truth,  not  very  many  of  us  are  descended 
from  these  early  settlers.  Other  English  people  came  to 
America  throughout  the  seventeenth  century  and  the  eigh- 
teenth, and  they  have  kept  coming  in  the  nineteenth. 
So  quite  a  number  of  us  are  English  in  blood,  as  the 
national  language  of  all  of  us  is  English.  But  how  long 
we  and  our  fathers  and  grandfathers  have  been  living 
in  this  country  is  another  question.  And  some  of  us 
really  do  not  know  when  our  first  ancestors  came  from 
the  old  country  to  America,  nor  do  we  know  what  kind 
of  people  they  were,  or  whether  we  could  he  proud  of  them 
or  not,  even  if  we  did   know.      In  many  cases  all  we  can  he 


Till:    YOUNG    AMERli  AA 


203 


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204  THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

quite  sure  of  is  thai  some  time  in  the  last  three  centuries 
Our  first    American  ancestor  did  come  here  from  Europe, 

and  here  made  his  home  and  that  of  his  children.  Per- 
haps he  was  English;  perhaps  he  was  Scotch,  or  Welsh, 
or  Irish.  Many  of  those  British  peoples  have  emigrated  to 
America  all  through  our  history,  and  many  of  them  are 
coming  over  in  our  time. 

4.  Dutch — Then,  it  was  not  British  people  only  who 
settled  the  first  European  colonies  along  the  Atlantic. 
The  first  settlers  of  New  York  were  Dutch,  from  Holland. 
After  the  English  seized  the  colony  the  Dutch  name 
•"New  Amsterdam*'  was  changed  to  the  English  one 
which  we  know.  But  the  Dutch  colonists  continued  to 
live  there.  Tinder  the  English  flag,  and  to-day  their  descen- 
dants are  yet  found  in  the  city  and  state  of  New  York 
and  elsewhere  in  the  republic.  Dutch  names,  such  as 
Stuyvesant,  Van  Cortlandt,  Van  Rensselaer,  Bogart.  Van 
Dusen,  Snvdam.  are  yet  common  in  some  parts  of  New 
York. 

5.  Swedes. —  In  Delaware  the  earliest  settlers  were 
Swedes.  But  there  wwc  not  many  of  them,  and  their 
colony  was  taken  away  by  the  Dutch,  and  was  seized  by 
the  English  when  they  took  New  Amsterdam.  There 
are  many  Swedish  people  now  living  in  the  United  States, 
hut  they  or  their  ancestors  have  mostly  come  here  recently. 

6.  Germans. — In  Pennsylvania  many  Germans  settled 
at  a  very  early  period,  ami  their  descendants  live  there 
to  this  day.  "  Pennsylvania  Dutch  "  they  were  commonly 
called  by  their  English  neighbors  in  New  York  and  New 
England,    hut,   in    fact,   they   were  not    Dutch  at  all,    hut 


THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 


Germans.  "Dutch'1  people  come  from  Holland,  nol 
from  Germany.  Bui  very  many  Germans  have  Bettled 
among  us  within  the  presenl   century. 

7.  French.  There  were  man}  French  emigrants  who 
came  to  South  Carolina,  and  sonic  to  Ww  York,  nearly 
two  hundred  years  ago.  The}  were  driven  oui  of  their 
own  country  by  the  tyranny  of  a  foolish  king.     But  they 


NEW    AMSTERDAM,    1665 

The  hutch  village  at  the  lower  end  of  Manhattan  Island,  whicb  lias  grown  into  the 

•.'feat  city  of  New  York. 


were  very  excellent  people,  and  they  made  good  American 
citizens.  Ami  the  first  settlers  in  Louisiana  and  Michi- 
gan were  French. 

8.  Americans. —  In  our  times  the  descendants  of  all 
these  European  settlers,  whether  British,  or  Dutch,  or 
Germans,  <»r  French,  or  Swede-,  are  simpl}  Atiier  leans. 
They  are  all  prett}  much  alike  using  the  same  langua^   . 


206  THE    Y0UN6    AMERICAN 

having  the  same  sorts  of  ideas.  Loving  the  republic  and  its 
flag,  and  proud  of  being  American  citizens. 

9.  Some  of  our  greatest  men  have  been  from  one  of  these 
colonial  races,  some  from  another.  General  Washington 
was  English.  General  Andrew  Jackson,  who  won  the 
great  victory  of  New  Orleans  in  the  war  of  L812,  and  was 
twice  president  of  the  United  States,  was  Scotch.  Henry 
Laurens,  of  South  Carolina,  who  was  president  of  con- 
gress during  the  revolutionary  war.  was  French.  General 
Schuyler,  of  the  revolutionary  army.  Martin  Van  Buren, 
president  of  the  United  States  next  after  .Jackson,  and 
Hamilton  Fish,  one  of  our  ablest  secretaries  of  state. 
wvvc  of  Dutch  descent.  Philip  Sheridan,  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  soldiers  of  the  civil  war.  and  later  general  in 
command  of  the  armies  of  the  Tinted  States,  was  Irish. 
But  every  one  of  these  men  was  a  thorough  American. 

10.  European  Immigrants.  -During  the  century  since 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  has  been  in  force 
there  lias  been  a  great  increase  in  the  coming  of  Europeans 
to  America.  Many  millions  of  immigrants  have  settled  in 
our  cities  and  on  the  farms  of  the  great  West.  Germans 
and  Swedes.  Norwegians  and  Danes.  Bohemians,  Irish. 
Italians,  they  have  fairly  swarmed  across  the  Atlantic  and 
have  left  their  old  homes  in  Europe  to  become  citizens  of 
"iir  republic.  So  it  is  that  we  see  these  "foreigners,"  as 
we  are  apt   to  call   them,  everywhere. 

11.  But  they  are  not  really  foreigners.  Nearly  all  of 
them  have  come  here  to  make  their  homes  because,  for  one 
reason  or  other,  they  like  this  country  better  than  the  one 
which    they    have    left.      So    they    become    Americans. 


Till:    YOUNQ   AMERICAN  207 

12.  Naturalization.  Our  laws  provide  liberally  for 
such  newcomers.  When  a  foreigner  has  lived  here  five 
years  he  may  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  with 
nil  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  citizen  who  has  been  born 
here.  To  be  sure  a  foreign-born  citizen  cannot  become 
president  of  the  United  States.  But,  then,  noi  many  citi- 
zens arc  likely  to  be  candidates  for  the  presidency. 
Almost  any  courl  of  law  has  the  right  to  admit  foreign- 
ers to  citizenship.  The  law  also  provides  that  one  who 
wishes  to  become  a  citizen  must  go  before  some  court  after 
he  has  lived  here  three  years  and  declare  his  intention. 
This  court  gives  the  applicant  a  paper  which  states  the 
facts — the  "•  first  paper."  as  it  is  called.  'This  certificate  IS 
presented  to  the  court  two  years  later  when  the  applicant 
wishes  to  become  a  citizen.  A  certificate — the  "second 
paper" —is  granted  by  the  second  court,  showing  that  the 
applicant   has  now  become  a  citizen  of  the  United  State-. 

13.  The  admission  of  a  foreigner  to  citizenship  in  the 
United  States  is  known  as  naturalization,  and  such  per- 
sons  are   called    naturalized  citizen-. 

14.  Good  Citizens. —  A  native  of  Europe  who  makes  his 
home  with  us  conies  here,  as  has  been  said,  because,  on  the 
whole,  he  prefers  t  his  count  ry  to  t  he  one  which  he  has  left. 
Hut  he  still  loves  the  country  of  his  birth.  He  is  fond  of 
its  language,  of  its  hooks,  of  its  stories  and  its  peoph 
That  is  quite  right.  <>ne  who  does  not  love  his  native 
country  can  hardly  he  expected  to  love  the  country  of  his 
adoption.  All  that  we  have  a  right  to  ask  is  that  our 
adopted  fellow-citizens  put  the  United  States  of  America 
first.     They  should   learn  its  language,  know  its  method  of 


208  THE    YOUNG    AMERICAN 

government,  <lo  their  part  towards  seeing  that  it  has  good 
laws,  and  should  obey  the  laws  which  arc  made.  People 
who  do  these  things  and  who  earn  an  honest  living  are 
good    Americans,  wherever  they   were   horn. 

15.  And  seeing  that  we  are  nearly  all  of  us  Europeans 
by  race,  it  is  very  silly  to  look  down  on  those  who  are 
merely  more  recent  comers  from  our  original  home.  Let 
us  all   try  to   he  g 1    American   citizens. 

16.  People  Red,  Black,  Yellow. — But  whites  are  not 
the  only  people  in  our  country.  There  are  also  red  people, 
black  people,  and  yellow   people. 

17.  The  Red  Men. — When  the  whites  first  came  to 
this  country  from  Europe  they  found  that  the  new  lands 
which  they  had  discovered  were  already  inhabited  by  a 
strange  race  of  red  men — the  '"Indians"  of  Columbus 
(p.  V.i). 

18.  The  Indians  have  a  dusky  vrtl  skin,  high  cheek- 
hones,  black  eyes,  and  coarse,  straight  black  hair.  They 
were  an  uncivilized  folk  when  Columbus  came.  To  he 
sure,  there  were  Indian  natives  in  Mexico  and  Peru,  who 
lived  in  cities  under  a  government  which  ruled  a  large 
population.  But  these  semi-civilized  Mexicans  and  Peru- 
vians, with  their  great  temples  blazing  with  plates  of  gold, 
with  their  picture-writing  and  their  palaces  and  their  culti- 
vated fields,  wrvr  very  different  from  the  red  savages  of 
our  country.  These  weve  mostly  hunters  and  fishermen, 
though  the  women  ("squaws")  did  raise  crops  of  maize, 
thus  called  "  Indian  corn,"  and  of  beans.  Any  grain,  like 
wheat,  the  English  called  "corn,"  as  they  do  to  this  day  ; 
hut  maize  was  a  new  plant  to  them.      The  mixture  of  corn 


THE    YOUNO    AMERICAN 


209 


and  beans  we  still  use  under  its  Indian  name  "  succotash." 
The  homes  of  these  people  were  mere  temporary  huts 
"wigwams, "  we  call  them.  All  the  Atlantic  Blope  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains  was  covered  with  dense  forests,  in 
which  the  red  man  roamed  in  search  of  game.  Deer, 
bears,  beavers,  and  other  wild  animals  were  abundant,  and 


A  GROUP  or   [NUTANS    \-   THEY   ABB  TO-DAY 


the  Indians  lived  on  their  meal  and  clothed  themselves  in 
their  skins.  The  weapons  of  these  nidc  hunters  were  bows 
and  arrows,  clubs,  hatchets  ("tomahawks"),  and  knives. 
They  had  no  iron,  and  their  arrow-heads,  tomahawks,  and 
knives  were  made  with  greal  ingenuity  of  flint.  Their 
shelter  from   the  weather  was  a  simple  hut,  a  **  wigwam," 

made  of  poles   covered  with   hark.     They  built  with  birch 

1 1 


210  THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

bark  light  boats  ("canoes"),  which  boats  they  were  very 
skilful  in  paddling. 

19.  People  who  lived  thus  by  the  chase,  of  course,  had  no 
cities  and  few  cultivated  fields.  They  roamed  the  woods 
in  search  of  game,  each  separate  tribe  having  its  own 
"hunting  grounds."  The  tribes  were  frequently  at  war 
with  one  another,  and  in  these  wars  they  were  very  treach- 
erous  and  cruel.  Their  favorite  mode  of  war  was  to  lie  in 
ambush  for  their  enemy  and  to  cut  him  down  when  be  was 
least  expecting  it.  Prisoners  were  commonly  put  to  death 
by  torture,  often  being  burned  at  the  stake. 

20.  Now,  these  savages  were  not  very  numerous,  and  they 
roamed  over  a  vast  wilderness  in  their  hunting.  But  the 
European  settlers  cleared  off  the  forests  and  planted  the 
fields  with  their  crops.  In  this  way  the  wilderness  was 
gradually  lessened,  and  the  Indians  saw  their  hunting 
grounds  destroyed.  Besides,  the  land  was  not  always 
bought  by  the  whites  from  its  red  owners — often  the  new- 
comers simply  took  it.  And  when  it  was  bought  the  simple 
Indians  were  often  cheated.  For  these  and  other  reasons 
the  settlers  and  the  natives  often  quarreled,  and  many 
bloody  Indian  wars  were  the  result  (p.  51).  The  savage 
warriors  would  lurk  in  the  forests  until  they  could  find  the 
settlers  off  the  watch.  Then  the  war-whoop  and  the  blaz- 
ing cabin  would  wake  the  terrified  family  from  sleep,  only 
to  perish  under  the  tomahawk.  Men  and  women  and  help- 
less children  alike  were  butchered,  and  their  bloody  scalps 
torn  off  to  adorn  the  brutal  victor. 

21.  Bui  the  white  men  in  the  end  were  always  too  strong 
for  the  red  men.  and  now  the  time  of   Indian  wars  has  prob- 


THE    Y0UN6   AMERIi,  .i.\  211 

ably  gone  forever.  The  tribes  have  melted  away,  dying 
rapidly  from  disease  and  war.  Liquor,  however,  lias  been 
more  deadly  than  either.     The  savages  became  very  fond 

of  the  white  man's  strong  drink — "  firewater,"  the  Indian- 
called  it — and  it  has  ruined  them.  The  remnants  of  the 
tribes  now  live  on  "  reservations  " — tracts  of  land  set  apart 
by  the  government  for  them.  Then,  every  year  the  _rovern- 
nient  pays  them  a  certain  amount  of  money,  by  way  of  pay 
for  the  land  they  have  given  up.  In  this  way  the  Indians 
do  not  have  to  work  for  a  living.  The  game  is  long  since 
gone,  so  there  is  little  use  in  hunting. 

22.  On  some  of  the  reservations,  and  in  the  Indian  ter- 
ritory, the  Indians  have  become  educated.  They  have 
schools  and  churches,  ami  are  sometimes  quite  wealthy. 
Attempts  have  been  made  in  late  years  to  send  the  chil- 
dren of  the  other  tribes  to  scl ].  At  Carlisle,  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, there  is  a  school  for  Indian  children,  which  is  doing 
good  work.     And  there  is  another  at  Hampton,  Virginia. 

23.  The  Hampton  Institute  is  a  school  founded  in  L870 
for  the  training  of  young  negroes  to  heroine  industrious 
and  skilful  workmen,  thus  enabling  them  to  live  good  lives 
and  to  earn  a  decent  living.  Such  training  was  especially 
needed,  as  the  negroes  had  only  recently  been  \'ri-vt}  from 
slavery,  and  had  now  for  the  first  time  to  care  for  them- 
selves. Ten  years  later  the  school  was  opened  for  Indians. 
The  United  States  government  pays  for  the  education  of 
L20  Indian  boys  and  girls,  and  generous  people  pay  for  a 
few  more  each  year,  so  thai  there  are  nearly  L50  Indians  in 
the  school.  Nearly  500  have  at  tended  the  school,  and  have 
gone  hack  with   it<  education   to  the  reservations.      Very 


212 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN 


THE    Vol' Mi   AMERICAN  213 

few  of  those  have  made  a  bad  record  in  their  after-life.  A 
very  large  majorit)  of  them  have  Learned  to  be  industrious 
and  intelligenl  workmen.  The  boys  have  become  farmers, 
blacksmiths,  and  carpenters;  the  girls  have  been  taught 
sewing  and  housework.  So.  instead  of  being  mere  rude 
savages,  they  are  intelligent  and  honesl  men  and  women. 

24.  It  is  certainly  much  better  to  -end  the  Indian-  to 
school  than  it  is  to  shool  them,  and  it  seems  to  cosl  n<> 
more.  If  the  young  can  Learn  to  Live  Like  white  men,  to 
earn  their  own  Living  by  honesl  work,  they  will  become 
-nod  citizens  of  our  republic.  Certainly  that  is  what  they 
ought  to  be.  It'  the  Indians  had  always  been  treated 
honestly  and  kindly  by  the  white-,  it  is  more  than  likely 
that  the  most  of  them  would  now  be  civilized.  Bui  we 
must  own  that  white  men  have  often  treated  their  red 
neighbors  very  badly.  It  has  been  necessary  for  the  land 
to  he  used  by  civilized  people;  it  would  not  be  reasonable 
for  it  to  lie  idle  for  a  mere  hunting  ground.  Eowever,  we 
cannot  always  be  proud  of  the  way  in  which  our  people 
have  got  the  land  or  of  the  way  in  which  they  have  treated 
the  red  men. 

The  Indians  are  not  very  numerous.  In  L870  it  was 
estimated  that  there  were  357,981  wild  Indians  and  25,731 
civilized.  In  L890,  58,806  civilized  Indians  were  counted, 
and  there  were  \'r\\i-r  wild  ones  than  in  L870. 

25.  Two  Stories  of  the  Indian  Wars. — The  hloo.lv 
Indian  war-  have  been  full  of  cruel  massacres,  desper- 
ate fights,  and  hair-breadth  escapes.  The  story  of  Mrs. 
Dustin,  of  Haverhill,  in  Massachusetts,  is  one  of  the  mosl 
thrilling  of  these.      And  the  poem,  by  an  unknown  author, 


214  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

commemorating  a  fighl   with  the  Indians  in  Maine,  gives 
a  quaint  account  of  another. 

Mrs.    Dustin's   Escape* 

In  March.  1697,  Thomas  Dustin,  of  Haverhill,  was  at  work 
in  his  field,  when  he  heard  the  terrible  whoop  of  Indians,  and 
run  towards  his  house.  He  had  eight  children — the  youngest 
only  a  week  old.  The  mother  was  in  bed  with  her  infant, 
tended  by  her  nurse,  Mary  Neff . 

"Run  for  the  garrison!"  he  shouted  to  his  other  children. 
They  fled,  the  oldest  carrying  the  youngest,  while  Mr.  Dustin 
rushed  into  the  stable  for  his  horse.  The  Indians  were  close 
upon  him.  He  could  not  save  his  wife;  but  would  try  and 
save  some  of  the  children.  He  came  up  with  them.  Which 
should  he  take  ?  All  were  equally  dear  to  him,  and  he  would 
try  to  save  all.  The  Indians  reach  the  house,  and  seize 
Mrs.  Dustin  and  Mary  Neff.  They  dash  the  infant  against  a 
rock,  and  the  mother  beholds  its  bleeding  corpse.  They  rush 
after  the  fleeing  family.  "Run  for  your  lives  !"  shouts  Mr. 
Dustin  to  his  children,  then  leaps  from  his  horse,  shelters 
himself  behind  the  animal,  rests  his  gun  across  the  horse's 
back,  taking  deliberate  aim  at  the  foremost  Indian.  He  fires, 
springs  into  the  saddle,  and  is  away,  with  the  bullets  flying 
around  him.  He  loads  his  gun  while  on  the  gallop,  reaches 
his  children,  dismounts,  and  is  ready  for  the  pursuers;  so, 
keeping  them  at  bay,  he  reaches  tbe  garrison,  saving  all  his 
children. 

In  a  few  moments,  twenty-seven  men,  women  and  children 
in  the  settlement  are  massacred,  their  houses  set  on  fire,  and 
the  Indians  are  fleeing  toward  Canada. 

It  was  the  middle  of  March.  In  the  woods  there  was  still 
*  From  Coffin's  "old 'rimes  in  the  Colonies. " 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN  SIS 

iiuicli  snow.  The  streams  urn-  swollen  with  its  melting,  and 
yet,  with  lint  one  shoe,  Mrs.  Dustin  began  lier  march  through 
the  wilderness,  driven  by  ber  captors.  Her  feel  were  torn  and 
chilled.  Every  step  was  marked  by  ber  blood.  Souk-  of  her 
fellow-captors  grew  fainl  and  fell,  and  then  the  tomahawk 
dispatched  them.  Ail  except  Mrs.  Dustin  and  Marj  Neff  were 
killed. 

Three  days  broughl  them  to  the  Indian  rendezvous,  a  Little 
island  at  the  junction  of  the  Merrimac  and  ( lontoocook  Rivers, 
in  Boscaweh,  New  Hampshire.  It  was  a  place  where  tin- 
Indians  could  catch  fish,  and  where  Mrs.  Dustin  found  a  little 
hoy.  Samuel  Leonardson,  who  had  been  a  captive  for  more  than 
a  year,  and  who  had  learned  the  Indian  Language. 

In  a  few  (lays,  all  except  twelve  of  the  Indians  started  upon 
another  marauding  expedition.  Upon  their  return,  the  captives 
would  he  taken  to  Canada.  The  woman  who  has  seen  her  in- 
fant dashed  against  a  stone  has  an  heroic  spirit.  heath  will 
he  preferable  to  captivity.  They  who  would  he  free  must  strike 
the  blow  that  will  give  them  freedom.     She  lays  her  plans. 

"Ask  the  Indians  where  they  strike  with  the  tomahawk 
when  they  want  to  kill  a  person  quick," she  says  to  Samuel. 

"Strike 'em  here,  "the  Indian  replies  to  Samuel's  question, 
placing  bis  finger  on  Samuel's  temples. 

Little    does   the    savage    think    that    his    own    hatchet    will    he 

buried  in  his  brains  by  the  keen-eyed  woman  who  watches 
Ins  every  movement.  The  Indian  shows  Samuel  how  to  take 
oil'  a  scalp,  all  of  which  Mrs.  Dustin  observes. 

Nlghl  comes,  and  she  informs  Mar\  Neff  and  Samuel  of  her 
plan,  and  stimulates  them  by  her  heroic  courage 

There  are  twelve  Indians  in  all  who  lie  down  to  sleep,  feeling 
that  their  captives  cannot    escape.       No   one    keeps  watch.      The 

wigwam  fires  burn  low.  No  sound  breaks  the  stillness  of  the 
uighl  except  the  waters  of  the  Contoocook  sweeping  over  its 


216  Till-:    roUNG   AMERICAN 

rocky  bed.  Mrs.  Dustin  rises,  seizes  a  tomahawk,  gives  one  to 
M;ir\  Nell',  another  to  Samuel.  Each  selects  a  victim.  A  sig- 
nal, and  the  hatchets  descend,  crushing  through  the  skulls  of 
the  Indians,  blow  after  blow  in  quick  succession.  It  is  the 
work  of  a  minute,  but  in  that  brief  time  ten  of  the  twelve  have 
been  killed ;  the  two  escape  in  the  darkness! 

The  prisoners,  prisoners  no  longer,  gather  up  the  provisions, 
take  the  guns  of  the  Indians,  scuttle  all  the  canoes  but  one, 
and  take  their  departure  down  the  Merrimac.  A  thought  comes 
to  the  woman  :  will  their  friends  believe  the  story  they  have  to 
tell? 

A  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  bring  them  back  to  the  island. 
Mrs.  Dustin  runs  the  scalping-knife  around  the  brows  of  the 
dead  Indians,  takes  their  scalps,  and  starts  once  more,  guid- 
ing the  canoe  with  her  paddle,  landing,  and  carrying  it  past 
dangerous  rapids,  reaching  Haverhill,  sixty  miles  distant,  with 
her  bloody  trophies,  to  the  astonishment  of  her  friends,  who 
thought  her  dead.  The  Government  of  Massachusetts  made 
her  a  present  of  fifty  pounds;  and  in  these  later  yeai-s  the 
people  of  the  Merrimac  Valley,  to  commemorate  her  heroism, 
have  reared  a  monument  upon  the  spot  where  she  achieved  her 
liberty. 

Lovewell's   Fight 

A  nontMous 

A  popular  halli id.      Written  shortly  after  the  battle  of  May  5,  1725, 

with  the  Indians 

( )F  worthy  Captain  LOVEWELL  I  purpose  now  to  sing, 
How  valiantly  he  served  his  country  and  his  king  ; 
Ih   and  his  valiant  soldiers  did  range  the  wood  full  wide, 
And  hardships  they  endured  to  quell  the  Indian's  pride. 


THE    YOUNG    .1  1/ /:/.'/<  AN  317 

'Twas  nigh  unto  Pigwacket,  <>n  the  eighth  daj  of  May, 
Thej  Bpied  a  rebel  [ndian  soon  after  break  of  day; 
He  on  a  bank  was  walking,  upon  a  neck  of  land. 
Which  leads  unto  a  pond  as  we're  made  to  understand. 

( >ni-  men  resolved  to  have  him,  and  traveled  two  miles  round, 
Until  they  met  the  Indian,  who  boldly  stood  his  ground; 
Then  up  speaks  Captain  Love  well,  "Take  you  good   heed," 

says  he, 
"This  rogue  is  to  decoj  us.  I  very  plainly  see. 

"The  Indians  lie  in  ambush,  sonic  place  niyh  at  hand, 

In  order  to  surround  us  upon  this  neck  of  land; 

Therefore  we'll  march  iii  order,  and  each  man    have  his   pack  : 

That  we  may  briskly  fighl  them  when  they  make  their  attack." 

They  came  anto  this  Indian,  who  did  them  thus  defy. 
AjS  SOOn  as  l  lie\   came  nigh  him.  two  guns  he  did  let  fly, 
Which  wounded  Captain    Lovewell,  and   likewise  our   man 

more. 
Bui  when  this  rogue  was  running,  they  laid  him  in  his  -ore. 

Then  having  scalped  the  Indian,  they  went  back  to  the  spot, 
Where  they  had    laid   their   packs  down,  hut    there  they    found 

them  not. 
For  the  Indians   having  spied   them,   when  thej   them  down  did 

lay. 
Did  seize  them  for  their  plunder,  and  carry  them  away. 

These  rebels  lay  in  ambush,  this  very  place  hard  by, 

So  thai  an  English  soldier  did  one  of  them  espy, 

And  cried  out,  "  Sere's  an  1  ndian  ; "  with  that  they  started  out, 

As  fiercely  as  old  lions,  and  hideously  did  shout. 


218  THE    YOUNG    A  M KIIH'A  X 

Willi  thai  our  valiant  English  all  gave  a  loud  huzza, 

To  show  the  rebel    Indians  they  feared  them  not  a  straw  : 

So  now  the  light  began,  and  as  fiercely  as  could  be, 

The  Indians  ran  up  to  them,  but  soon  were  forced  to  flee. 

Then  spake  up  Captain  LOVEWELL,  when  iirst  the  fight  began, 
"  Fight  on,  my  valiant  heroes  !  you  see  they  fall  like  rain." 
For  as  we  are  informed,  the  Indians  were  so  thick, 
A  man  could  scarcely  fire  a  gun  and  not  some  of  them  hit. 

Then  did  the  rebels  try  their  best  our  soldiers  to  surround, 
But  they  could  not  accomplish  this  because  there  was  a  pond, 
To  which  our  men  retreated  and  covered  all  the  rear, 
The  rogues  were  forced  to  flee  them,  although  they  skulked  for 
fear. 

Two  logs  there  were  behind  them  that  close  together  lay, 
Without  being  discovered,  they  could  not  get  away; 
Therefore  our  valiant  English  they  traveled  in  a  row, 
And  at  a  handsome  distance  as  they  were  wont  to  go. 

'Twas  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  iirst  the  fight  begun. 
And  fiercely  did  continue  until  the  setting  sun  ; 
Excepting  that  the  Indians  some  hours  before  Twas  night. 
Drew  off  into  the  bushes  and  ceased  a  while  to  fight. 


to 


But  soon  again  returned,  in  fierce  and  furious  mood, 
Shouting  as  in  the  morning,  but  yet  not  half  so  loud  ; 
For  as  we  are  informed,  so  thick  and  fast  they  fell, 
Scarce  twenty  of  their  number  at  night  did  get  home  well. 

And  that  our  valiant  English  till  midnight  there  did  stay, 
To  see  whether  the  rebels  would  have  another  fray; 
But  they  no  more  returning,  they  made  off  towards  their  home. 
And  brought  away  their  wounded  as  far  as  they  could  come. 


THE    YOUNG    AMERIi    l  \  219 

( >!'  all  our  valiant  English  there  were  bul  thirty-four, 
Ami  <>!'  the  rebel  Indians  there  were  aboul  Fourscore. 
And  sixteen  of  our  English  did  safely  home  return, 
The   rest    were   killed   and   wounded,    for   which  we  all    must 
mourn. 

<  >ur  worthy  Captain  Lovewell  among  them  there  did  die. 
They  killed  Lieut.  Robbins,  and  wounded  good  young  Frye, 
Who  was  our  English  Chaplain  ;  he  many  Indians  slew, 
And  some  of  them  lie  scalped  when  bullets  round  him  flew. 

Y"oung  ETullam  too  I'll  mention,  because  he  foughl  so  well. 
Endeavoring  to  save  a  man.  a  sacrifice  he  fell: 
Bui  yet  our  vaUanl  English  in  fiehl  were  ne'er  dismayed, 
Hut  still  they  kepi  their  motion,  and  Wyman's  ( !aptain  made, 

Who  shot  the  old  chief  Paugus,  which  did  the  foe  defeat. 
Then  set  his  men  in  order,  and  brought  off  the  retreat  ; 
And  braving  many  dangers  and  hardships  in  the  way. 
They  safe  arrived  at  Dunstable,  the  thirteenth  day  of  May. 

26.  The  Africans. — The  blacks  in  our  country — "col- 
ored    people,"   or    "negroes"     are    of    African    descent. 

They  live  mostly  in  the  states  south  of  Pennsylvania  and 
of  the  Ohio  River,  in  Texas,  and  in  the  state-  on  the  wesl 
hank  of  the  Mississippi,  a-  fat1  north  as  Missouri. 

27.  dust  as  the  white  settlers  in  America  came  from 
Europe,  so  the  black  settlers  came  iii  tlie  hrst  place  from 
Africa.  But  there  was  this  difference:  the  Europeans 
came  of  their  own  accord,  because  they  thoughl  they  could 
do  better  here:  hut  the  African-  were  broughi  over  by 
force,  in  whole  shiploads,  as  slaves  of  the  white-. 

28.  B\  a  slave  we  mean    one   who   is   not    free  to  work 


220  Tin-:   yorst;  ami:i;ka.\ 

as  he  pleases,  but  whose  work  belongs  by  law  to  some  one 
else.  The  owner  gives  the  slave  food  and  clothing  and 
lodging,  and  takes  cave  of  him  when  sick.  But  beyond 
this  the  slave  gets  no  wages,  and  he  must  work  jnst  when 
and  where  his  master  pleases.  Slaves  arc  bought  and  sold. 
too,  about  as  horses  arc. 

2g.  It  was  some  dozen  years  after  Englishmen  made 
their  first  settlement  at  Jamestown,  in  Virginia  (p.  202), 
when  a  Dutch  ship  came  into  that  harbor  with  a  cargo  of 
negroes.  Some  of  these  were  traded  off  to  the  settlers. 
These  negroes  were  found  Aery  useful  for  working  the 
tobacco  fields,  and  it  was  not  many  years  before  more 
negroes  were  brought  over  from  Africa,  not  only  into  Vir- 
ginia, but  also  into  all  the  other  colonies. 

30.  We  must  remember  that  at  that  time  the  laws  of 
about  every  nation  permitted  slaves  to  be  owned.  And 
they  were  owned  at  one  time  in  every  one  of  the  thirteen 
colonies  which  were  the  beginning  of  the  United  States. 

31.  But  there  never  were  many  negroes  north  of  Mary- 
land, and  not  long  after  the  revolutionary  war  the  laws  of 
those  northern  states  had  been  changed  so  that  people  were 
not  permitted  to  have  slaves.  In  the  southern  states,  how- 
ever, there  were  many  negroes,  and  they  were  kept  as 
slaves  until  only  a  few  years  ago. 

32.  New  states  were  admitted  into  the  Union,  and 
those  north  of  the  Ohio  River  had  laws  forbidding 
slavery,  while  the  new  southern  states  had  laws  permit- 
ting slavery.  Then  the  free  states  and  the  slave  states 
began  to  quarrel  over  slavery.  The  main  dispute  was  about 
the  territories.      The  free-state  people  believed  that  con- 


THE    YOUNQ   AMEBIC  I  V  22] 

gress  had  the  righl  bo  make  laws  forbidding  slavery  in  the 
territories.  The  slave-state  people  thoughl  thai  congress 
had  do  such  right.  Ami  iii  L860  and  L861,when  it  seemed 
likdv  thai  such  laws  would  be  passed,  many  of  the 
southern  states  derided  to  leave  the  Union  and  to  form 
a  new  republic  of  their  own.  They  called  it  "The  Con- 
federate States  of  America  "  (p.  L32). 

33.  Bu1  the  rest  of  the  states  insisted  thai  no  state  had  a 
righl  to  leave  the  Union  without  the  consenl  of  the  other-. 
Annies  were  formed  on  both  side-,  and  there  was  a  greal 
civil  war.  which  lasted  four  years.  The  armies  of  the  Con- 
federate State-  were  finally  defeated  and  broken  ll)t.  and  SO 
the  attempt  to  leave  the  Union  failed.  Then  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  was  changed  so  as  to  forbid 
slavery  anywhere  in  the  republic.  In  this  way  all  the 
negro  slaves  became  free,  and  now  black  men  have  the 
same  rights  at   law  as  white  men. 

34.  The  civil  war  was  a  very  terrible  am!  a  very  sad 
thing.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  were  killed  and 
wounded  in  the  battles,  or  died  of  diseases  caused  by  the 
hardships  of  the  campaigns.  A  vast  amount  of  property 
was  destroyed,  and.  as  we  saw  (p.  L99),  the  nation  piled  up 
a  debt  of  thousands  of  millions  of  dollars,  which  is  not  yet 
all  paid.  The  people  011  both  sides  were  honest  iii  think- 
ing that  they  were  right,  and  both  northern  and  southern 
soldiers  fough.1  very  bravely  in  the  battles.  We  shall  hope 
that  our  land  will  never  again  see  a  civil  war. 

35.  Now  we  see  how  it  i-  that  there  are  SO  many  Mack 
people  iii  the  southern  states.  The  masses  of  them  are 
ignorant,  and  many  are  idle  and  shiftless,     still,  theywork 


222 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 


in  the  fields  and  in  the  homes,  and  so  arc  very  useful.  It 
is  highly  important  that  I  hey  should  learn  to  be  industrious 
and  honest  and  capable  of  earning  a  good  living  by  good 
work.  Much  is  being  done  in  the  South  to  teach  the 
blacks.  There  are  common  schools  in  which  they  learn  to 
read  and  write  and  get  sonic  other  knowledge.     And  there 


NEGROES    WORKING    IN    A    COTTON    FIELD 


arc    industrial     schools    which    teach    them   how  to  work 
properly  at  various  t  rades. 

36.  As  the  negroes  arc  here,  and  are  now  free  citizens 
of  the  republic,  it  certainly  is  important  that  they  should 
heroine  good  cit  izens. 

37.  The  School  at  Tuskegee. — We  have  read  about 
one  school  (p.  211)  which  is  doing  good  work  in  educating 
negroes  and  Indians  to  be  good  citizens.  Another  of 
similar  aim  is  at  Tuskegee,  Alabama,  and  is  training  many 
of  the  colored  people.  The  most  important  purposes  of 
the   school    arc    thus   staled    in    the   catalogue: 


THE    YOUNO   AMERICAN 

••In  all  the  Industrial  work  these  objects  are  kept  in 
\  iew,  viz.  : 

••  l .  To  teach  i he  dignity  of  labor. 

"2.  To  teach  the  students  how  to  work,  giving  them  a 
t rade  when  i houghl  best. 

••:!.  To  enable  students  to  pay  a  portion  of  their  ex- 
penses in  labor/' 

This  is  very  sensible.  The  negroes  in  the  southern 
states  need,  first  of  all,  to  learn  steady  industry,  honesty, 
cleanliness  of  life  and  surroundings,  and  independenl 
self-support.  No  one  who  fails  in  these  respects  can  be 
respected   by  his  neighbors  or  can  really  respeel   himself. 

38.  Yellow  People  Chinese. —  West  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  there  are  many  yellow  people — the  Chinese. 
Some  of  them  live  in  eastern  cities,  often  carrying  on 
laundries.  Generally  they  keep  more  or  less  of  the  dress 
of  Chinese,  and  with  their  yellow  skins,  oblique  eyes,  long 
black  '"  pig  tails,"  and  odd  shoes  and  blouse,  may  be  seen 
tripping  along  the  crowded  streets  or  busily  ironing  clothes 
in  the  laundry.  Bui  on  the  Pacific  coasl  there  are  many 
thousands  n\'  them— SO  many  that  there  is  a  part  of  San 
Francisco  called  the  •■Chinese  quarter,"  in  which  the 
yellow  people  live  in  a  crowded  mass  by  themseh 
Some  are  merchants  and  laundrynieii  :  some  are  house 
servants,  doing  the  work  for  which  women  are  employed 
in  mosl  families;  many  are  laborers,  working  in  all  man- 
ner of  rough  occupations. 

3g.  One  <><\<\  thing  aboul  them  is  thai  there  are  very 
few  women  among  them.  The  men  come  here  to  gel  rich. 
They  live  on  very  little,  lodging  and  eating  as  few  white 


224  THE    WUNO   AMERICAN 

people  would  be  willing  to  <1<>.  In  this  way  they  save  up 
their  money,  expecting  some  day  to  go  home  to  China  to 
live.  If  one  of  them  dies,  the  others  try  to  send  his  body 
back  to  China  for  burial. 

40.  The  European  laborers  do  not  like  the  Chinese. 
They  say  that  the  Asiatics  are  not  good  Americans;  that 
they  do  not  come  here  to  live,  and  do  not  know  or  care 
anything  about  the  republic  ;  that  they  live  as  no  American 
can.  and  so  are  aide  to  work  for  wages  which  would  not 
keep  an  American  family  :  that  in  the  end  hack  they  go  to 
China,  carrying  their  savings  with  them.  Congress  lias 
made  laws,  therefore,  forbidding  any  more  Chinese  laborers 
to  come  here.  It  cannot  be  many  years,  under  these  laws, 
before  the  Chinese  laborers  will  disappear  from  our  repub- 
lic. There  are  not  many  of  them  now.  In  1860  there 
were  :U.!):i:>»  :  in  1870,  63,199;  in  1880,  L05,465  ;  in  1890, 
107,475.  So  we  see  how  rapidly  their  numbers  increased 
until  the  laws   forbade  their  coming. 


CHAPTER    XV] 
Who  Are  Our  Rulers 

i.  The  Law-Makers. — We  have  seen  that  our  republic 
lias  a  greal   number  of  public  officers. 

To  begin  with,  there  are  all  the  law-making  bodies.  At 
Washington  is  the  federal  congress,  meeting  every  year  Eor 
months  at  a  time,  ami  making  laws  Eor  the  nation.  At 
each  of  the  forty-five  state  capitals  is  a  legislature,  meet- 
ing either  every  year  or  every  other  year,  and  making  laws 
Eor  tin'  state.  Several  territories  have  legislatures.  At 
each  county  seat  is  some  sort  of  county  board,  many  of 
them  meeting  more  than  once  in  a  year,  ami  making  law- 
ful-the  county.  Then,  every  city  has  it-  council,  and  in 
many  states  t  he  village  has  a  village  board,  meeting  weekly, 
as  a  rule,  and  making  laws  for  the  city  or  the  village. 

2.  Many  sorts  of  laws  are  made.  Some  of  them  forbid 
certain  things  to  he  done — like  the  law  againsl  stealing. 
Other  laws  command  something  to  be  done     like  the  law 

which  Compels  people  to  he  vaccinated.  SO  a-  to  avoid 
small-pox.  Many  laws,  in  nation,  state,  county,  ami  city, 
are  tax  laws:  that  is.  they  li\  the  amount  ami  the  kind 
of  taxes  which  the  people  shall  pay  into  the  public  treas- 
ury. Many  more  laws  decide  how  this  money  shall  he 
spent.      Part  of  it  goes  for  the  salaries  of  public  officers; 

pari  for  public  buildings,  like  court-houses,  prisons,  schools, 

15 


226  Till-     YOUNG    AMERICAN 

and  post-offices  :  pari  of  it  for  public  services,  like  paving 
streets,  carrying  the  mails,  providing  fire-engines.  And 
there  are  many  other  kinds  of  laws. 

3.  Now.  how  are  all  these  law-makers  appointed  ?  In 
almost  every  case  they  are  elected  by  the.  people.  The 
United  States  senators,  to  be  sure,  are  chosen  by  the 
state  legislatures.  But  the  people  elect  the  members  of 
the  legislatures.  And  the  people  elect  the  members  of  the 
national  house  of  representatives,  of  the  state  legislatures, 
of  the  various  county  boards,  and  of  the  city  councils. 
So  we  may  say  that  in  the  end  the  people  elect  all  the  law- 
makers. 

4.  The  Administrative  Officers. — Then,  there  are 
many  officers  busy  in  carrying  out  the  laws.  First  of  all, 
of  course,  is  the  president  of  the  United  States.  Under 
Ins  authority  are  his  cabinet,  the  eight  heads  of  depart- 
ments, with  the  great  number  of  officials  under  each, 
some  in  Washington,  and  many  soldiers,  postmasters 
and  clerks,  customs  officers,  and  the  like,  scattered  over 
the  Union.  Altogether  there  are  nearly  two  hundred 
thousand  federal  officers  subject  to  the  direction  of  the 
president — quite  an  army,  we  see. 

5.  In  each  of  the  forty-five  states  there  is  a  similar 
army,  though  much  smaller,  with  a  governor  at  the  head. 
Besides  the  state  officials,  there  are  included  also  those  in 
the  counties,  cities,  towns,  and  villages.  These  people  are 
busy  with  all  the  different  kinds  of  public  work.  Many 
of  them  are  occupied  with  the  public  money,  assessors 
deciding  the  value  of  property  on  which  taxes  must  be 
paid,  others  receiving  payment  of  the  taxes  and    giving  the 


THE    YOUNQ    AMERICAN  227 

taxpayer    receipts,    others    taking   charge   of    the    tnonej 
thus  collected  and   paying  it   onl   as  directed   by  law. 

6.  Who  appoints  all  these  people  to  office?  The  presi- 
ded of  the  United  States  is  chosen  l>\  election,  and  the 
electors  are  chosen  by  the  people.  The  president  appoints 
the  mosl  importani  of  the  federal  officers,  and  they  in 
turn,  or  some  of  them,  appoinl  the  inferior  officers.  We 
miisi  remember  thai  there  are  many  appointments  which 
the  presidenl  cannoi  make  without  the  approval  of  the 
senal  e. 

7.  To  illustrate,  we  may  take  a  post-office  in  a  large 
city,  like  Chicago.  The  postmaster  has  charge.  lie  is 
appointed  by  tin'  president,  with  the  approval  of  the 
senate.  There  is  a  number  of  clerks  and  letter-carriers. 
These  are  appointed  by  the  postmaster-general,  and  the 
mosl  of  them  can  be  removed  only  for  had  conduct. 

8.  The  postmasters  in  small  places  are  appointed  by  the 
postmaster-general. 

9.  If  we  conie  to  the  states,  we  find  that  some  of  the 
officers  arc  appointed  l>\  some  one  higher  in  authority,  and 
many  arc  elected  by  the  people.  The  governor  is  always 
chosen  by  the  people,  as  arc  the  sheriffs,  the  mayor-,  and 
many  more. 

10.  So  we  sec  that  the  officers  who  carry  out  the  laws  are 
cither  elected  by  the  people  or  arc  appointed,  directly  or 
indirectly,  by  some  one  who  is  elected  by  the  people. 

11.  The  Courts  of  Law. — The  federal  judges  are  all 
appointed  by  the  presidenl  of  the  United  States.  Of 
course  the  senate  has  to  be  consulted.  In  some  of  the 
states,    as    in    Massachusetts,    the    governor   appoints    the 


228  the  young  American 

judges.  Bui  in  most  of  the  states  the  judges  are  elected 
by  the  people.  Now.  we  remember  that  the  people  elect 
the  governors,  and  that  the  electors  who  choose  the  presi- 
dent, and  the  state  legislatures  which  choose  the  sena- 
tors, are  also  elected  by  the  people.  So  Ave  see  that  the 
judges  are  either  elected  by  the  people  or  are  appointed, 
directly  or  indirectly,  by  some  one  who  is  elected  by  the 
people. 

12.  How  the  Officers  Are  Chosen. — Then,  we  are  not 
far  out  of  the  way  if  we  say  that  our  whole  government 
consists  of  officers  who  are  chosen  b//  tin1  people.  To  he 
sure,  the  postmaster-general  may  appoint  a  village  post- 
master. But  the  postmaster-general  is  appointed  by  the 
president,  with  the  approval  of  the  senate.  And  the  presi- 
dent is  really  elected  by  the  people.  The  electors  whom 
the  people  choose  would  never  think  of  voting  for  any  one 
but  the  man  nominated  by  their  political  party.  The 
senators,  too,  are  chosen  by  legislatures  elected  by  the 
people.  So,  after  all,  the  village  postmaster  depends  for 
his  office  on  the  election  by  the  people. 

13.  Elections. -- We  are  all  familiar  with  elections. 
They  are  held  often  in  November;  many  of  them,  espe- 
cially for  local  officers,  in  the  spring;  in  a  few  states,  in 
August  or  September  or  October.  Votes  are  cast  by 
means  of  printed  papers  called  ballots.  Each  voter  has 
the  right  to  cast  one  ballot.  It  is  put  into  a  locked  box— 
the  ballot-box.  At  night,  when  the  voting  is  ended,  the 
ballot-box  is  unlocked  and  the  votes  are  counted.  Then 
the  officers  who  have  charge  of  the  ballot-box  make  a 
report    to   the  proper  election  officers.     In   this  way  it   is 


THE    YOUNQ   AMERICAN 

found  out  who  has  tin-  mosl  votes,  and  he  is  elected. 
Sometimes  one  person   has  more  than  half  of  all  the  votes 

cast.  This  is  a  majority.  In  other  cases  ii"  "in-  has  a 
majority,  l>ut  one  person  lias  more  votes  than  anj  one  else. 
This  is  a  plurality.  The  person  who  has  a  majority 
is  always  elected,  and  for  must  offices  a  plurality  also 
elects. 

14.  Who  Are  "  the  People"? — Now,  who  are  the  peo- 
ple  who  fleet  so  many  officers  in  our  republic?  Is  it  nil 
the  people?  Surely  not.  Many  are  children  too  young  to 
\ote.  And  in  most  of  the  states  the  women  do  not  vote. 
either.  So  it  is  plain  that  the  men  who  have  the  righl 
to  vote  are  less  than  half  of  nil  the  people. 

15.  But  tin'  laws  are  not  the  same  in  all  the  states.  In 
some  states  a  man  has  the  righl  to  vote  who.  in  some  other 
states,  would  not  have  that  right.  In  many  state-  no  one 
can  vote  unless  he  is  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  which. 
indeed,  ough.1  to  he  the  law  everywhere.  In  a  few  state-, 
however,  one  who  has  taken  his  "  first  papers,"'  although 
he  is  not  a  citizen,  has  the  righl  to  vote.  In  a  few  states, 
also.  110  one  ma\  vote  unless  he  can  read  and  write,  which 
surely  seems  a  reasonable  requirement.  Bui  in  most  of 
the  states  ignorance  is  no  bar  to  voting. 

16.  The  States  Decide  Who  May  Vote. —  We  see 
from  what  has  been  said  that  it  is  the  states  that  make  t In- 
laws which  give  or  withhold  the  righl  to  vote.  The  United 
Mate-  governmenl  can  make  no  such  law-.  The  states 
ma\  do  very  nearly  as  they  please.  So  it  is  that  Borne  states 
allow  women  to  vote  at  all  elections.  Some  allow  women 
to   vote  at   elections  for  school   officers,   and   many  do  not 


230  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

allow  women  to  vote  ai  all.  If  we  wish  to  know  who  may 
vote,  then,  we  must  look  in  the  constitution  and  laws  of 
each  of  t lie  states. 

17.  The  People  "Who  Vote  Are  the  Real  Rulers.— 
And  when  we  speak  of  the  people  as  elect  inn,'  public  officers, 
we  mean  the  people  who  hare  the  right  to  vote. 

18.  Our  whole  republic  depends  in  the  end  on  the  wis- 
dom of  the  people  in  voting.  And  so  the  safety  and  suc- 
cess of  the  republic  will  depend  very  largely  on  what  sort 
of  voters  we  have. 

19.  All  voters  ought  to  know  for  what  they  are  voting. 
They  ought  to  understand  what  the  republic  is.  what  are 
the  duties  of  public  officers,  and  why  they  prefer  one  man 
or  one  political  party  instead  of  another.  Ignorant  voters 
are  easily  led  by  dishonest  and  selfish  politicians,  and  are 
likely  to  elect  men  who  want  office  because  they  can  make 
money  out  of  it  for  themselves. 

Ignorant  voters  are  a  danger  to  the  republic. 

20.  All  voters  should  be  honest  in  casting  their  votes. 
A  vote  is  not  a  piece  of  personal  property,  like  a  calf  or  a 
hog.  It  is.  in  fact,  a  trust  for  the  public  use.  One  is  not 
voting  for  himself  alone,  but  for  the  welfare  of  all  the  peo- 
ple— for  those  who  cannot  vote  as  well  as  for  those  who 
can.  And.  then,  when  a  voter  sells  his  vote  he  is  guilty  of 
shameless  treachery  to  the  republic.  He  is  a  traitor  quite 
as  truly  as  was    Benedict   Arnold  in  the  revolutionary  war. 

Hut  the  one  who  buys  the  vote  is  no  better,  lie  also 
is  a  criminal,  and  a  very  dangerous  one. 

Anyone  who  sells  or  buys  a  vote  should  never  he  allowed 
again  to  vote  or  hold  office  in  our  republic. 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICAh 

21.  The  Real  State.  The  machiner}  of  governmenl  is 
a  mere  means  of  the  people  to  attain  certain  ends.  No 
machinery  will  run  of  itself.  NTo  governmenl  is  worth 
much  unless  honest  ami  able  men  are  selected  to  do  ii- 
work.  And  such  men  uever  will  be  selected  unless  the 
people,  who  are  the  real  rulers,  themselves  have  high 
ideals  of  honesty  and  i:<><>d  government.  What  a  famous 
English  judge  thought  of  this  a  century  ami  more  ago,  and 
what  a  -till  more  Famous  English  judge  thoughl  three 
hundred  years  ago,  it  may  he  worth  while  t<i  read. 

What  Constitutes  a  State  ? 

Sir  William  Jones  * 

What  constitutes  a  state  : 
Not  high-raised  battlements  <>r  labored  mound. 

Thick  wall  or  moated  gate; 
Nol  cities  proud,  with  spires  ami  turrets  crowned; 

Nol  bays  and  broad-arm  ports, 
When-,  laughing  at  the  storm,  rich  navies  ride; 

\<>t  starred  ami  spangled  courts, 
Where  low-browed  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride. 

No  !     Men — high-minded  men 
With  powers  ,-is  far  above  dull  brutes  endued. 

In  forest,  brake,  or  den. 
A.s  l>ea-is  excel  cold  rocks  and  brambles  rude: 

Men.  wlio  their  duties  know. 
Bui  know  their  rights,  and.  knowing,  dare  maintain: 

1  Ycvt'iit  the  long  aimed  blow, 
And  crush  the  tyrant  while  they  rend  the  chain. 
•Sir  William  Jones,  bora  1746,  died  1794,  was  a  famous  English  scholar  and  juris 


232  THE    YOUNG   AMERICAN 

These  constitute  :i  state; 
And  sovereign  law,  that  state's  collected  will, 
O'er  thrones  and  globes  elate 

Sits  empress,  crowning  good,  repressing  ill. 

***** 

The  True  Greatness  of  Nations 
Lord  Bacon* 

The  greatness  of  an  estate,  in  hulk  and  territory,  doth  fall 
under  measure  ;  and  the  greatness  of  finance  and  revenue  doth 
fall  under  computation.  The  population  may  appear  by  mus- 
ters ;  and  the  number  and  greatness  of  cities  and  towns  by 
cards  and  maps.  But  yet  there  is  not  anything,  amongst  civil 
affairs,  more  subject  to  error,  than  the  right  valuation  and  true 
judgment  concerning  the  power  and  forces  of  an  estate.  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  compared,  not  to  any  great  kernel,  or 
nut,  but  to  a  grain  of  mustard  seed  ;  which  is  one  of  the  least 
grains,  but  hath  in  it  a  property  and  spirit  hastily  to  get  up  and 
spread.  So  are  there  states  great  in  territory,  and  yet  not  apt  to 
enlarge  or  command  ;  and  some  that  have  but  a  small  dimen- 
sion of  stem,  and  yet  are  apt  to  be  the  foundation  of  great 
monarchies. 

Walled  towns,  stored  arsenals  and  armories,  goodly  races  of 
horses,  chariots  of  war,  elephants,  ordnance,  artillery,  and  the 
like  :  all  this  is  but  a  sheep  in  a  lion's  skin,  except  the  breed 
and  disposition  of  the  people  be  stout  and  warlike.  Nay, 
number  itself  in  armies  importeth  not  much,  where  the  people 
are  of  weak  courage  ;  for,  as  Virgil  saith  :  It  never  troubles 
the  wolf  how  many  the  sheep  be.     The  army  of  the  Persians, 

♦  Lord  Bacon,  born  1560,  died  1626,  was  one  of  the  greatest  writers  and  thinkers  in 
the  history  of  England.  lie  was  lord  high  chancellor  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  author 
of  immortal  works  of  a  varied  character. 


THE    YOUNG   AMERICA* 

in  the  plains  of  Arbela,  was  such  a  vast  sea  of  people  as  it  did 
somewhal  :i --t <  n i i^l i  the  commanders  in  Alexander's  arm;  ;  who 
came  to  him,  therefore,  and  wished  him  i"  sel  upon  them  by 
night  :  bul  he  answered,  He  would  not  pilfer  the  victory; 
and  the  defeal  was  easj  .    When  Tigranes,  the  Armenian,  being 

encamped  u] a  hill  with  four  hundred  thousand   men,  dis 

covered  the  army  of  the  Romans,  being  not  above  fourteen 
thousand,  marching  towards  him,  he  made  himself  merry  with 
it,  and  said,  Yonder  men  arc  too  many  for  an  embassage 
and  too  few  for  a  fight.  But,  before  the  sun  set.  he  found 
them  enough  to  give  him  the  chase  with  infinite  slaughter. 

22.  Some  of  Our  Advantages. — Our  republic  has  some 
great  advantages  over  many  other  nations. 

One  of  these  i>  tli.-it  we  govern  ourselves.  There  i-  no 
king  or  nobleman  who  inherits  from  his  father  the  right 
to  govern  as.  We  choose  our  own  law-makers,  and  if  we 
dislike  the  law-  thej  make,  we  choose  others  in  their  place. 
If  we  are  governed  badly,  we  know  that  it  is  our  nun  fault. 

23.  We  have  a  good  system  of  government.  Our  na- 
tional Constitution  was  made  by  some  of  the  wisest  men 
who  ever  lived,  and  we  have  become  used  to  it.  It  tits  us. 
like  a  well-made  suit  of  dot hes. 

24.  We  have  free  speech  and  a  free  press,  the  right  to 
organize  parties  of  churches  as  we  like,  the  right  to  assem- 
ble when  and  where  we  please  for  a  public  meeting.  Many 
of  these  things  are  not  permitted  under  some  governments 
in  Europe. 

25.  Some  of  Our  Defects.-  While  we  have  reason  to 
love  our  country  and  to  be  proud  of  it.  if  we  are  honest  we 
must    admit    that   there  are   some    serious  faults  in  the  gOV- 


234  THE   YOUNG  AMERICAN 

eminent — faults  which   true    patriots  will  do  all  in   their 
power  to  remedj . 

26.  Many  people  who  hold  public  office  are  not  honest. 
They  take  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  get  money 
for  themselves  ;  they  are  in  politics,  not  for  the  public 
good,  but  for  their  private  gain.  They  are  bad  servants 
of  the  people. 

27.  Party  spirit  is  a  bad  thing.  People  belong  to  a 
political  party,  and  learn  to  hate  those  Avho  belong  to  any 
other.  We  vote  blindly  for  a  candidate  merely  because  he 
has  our  party  name,  without  stopping  to  inquire  whether 
he  is  honest  and  capable  or  not.  We  are  too  apt  to  think 
that  members  of  the  other  party  are  all  enemies  of  the 
state.  In  fact,  there  are  honest  men  and  patriots  in  all 
parties.  We  ought  to  learn  to  differ  in  opinion  without 
hating  one  another. 

28.  Indifference  to  public  duty  is  another  bad  thing. 
Every  citizen  should  know  about  the  government  and  what 
it  is  doing.  Every  voter  should  take  pains  to  vote,  and  to 
make  sure  that  he  does  not  vote  for  bad  men.  If  people 
do  nothing  to  make  politics  good,  they  have  no  right  to 
complain  when  they  find  corrupt  politicians  in  office.  In 
fact,  everybody  ought  to  be  a  politician.  That  name 
should  not   he  a  term  of  reproach,  as  it  often  is  now. 

29.  People  are  too  eager  to  get  rich  rapidly.  Many  have 
done  that.  Put  many  more  have  failed.  And  the  eager 
strain  after  sudden  wealth  makes  men  envious  of  those 
who  succeed,  and  too  often  teaches  dishonesty  as  a  less 
evil  than  poverty.  In  fact,  every  one  ought  to  be  able  to 
earn  an  honest  living,  and,  if  possible,  to  lay  up  money  for 


Till:    YOUNO   AMERK  AN  285 

the  future.     Bui   absolute  honesty  ia   better  than   all  the 
riches  of  all  the  millionaires. 

30.  Another  evil  is  thai  we  are  apl  to  pa}  Least  attention 
t«>  what  is  going  on  nearest  home.  We  get  excited  aboul 
the  tariff,  or  the  kind  of  money  the  governmenl  issues,  or 
some  foreign  war,  and  forget  all  about  our  own  local  gov- 
ernment. One  of  the  worst  defects  in  our  republic  is  the 
bad  government  of  our  cities.  If  people  would  try  as  hard 
to  get  honest  aldermen  as  they  do  to  get  their  candidate  for 
presidenl  elected,  we  should  have  a  much  better  govern- 
ment at  every  point.  If  city  and  county  politics  are  full  of 
corruption  and  inefficiency,  state  and  national  polities  will 
not  be  much  better.  Patriotism,  like  charity,  should  begin 
at  home. 

31.  Some  of  Our  Needs. — In  a  free  republic  all  the 
citizens  ought  to  be  intelligent.  E very  one  should  know 
about  the  government,  and  should  understand  his  rights 
and  his  duties  as  a  citizen. 

32.  We  need  more  independence,  less  following  party 
leaders.  Voters  should  make  up  their  own  minds  as  to 
what  is  for  the  public  good,  and  then  vote  as  dictated  by 
conscience  rather  than  by  a  party. 

33.  We  need  a  higher  sense  of  honor.  We  should  feel 
that  self-respect  is  better  than  riches,  and  that  no  one  can 
do  a  mean  or  dishonorable  thing  without  losing  respect 
for  himself.  Hut  dishonesty  in  politics  and  in  public  office 
is  both  mean  and  dishonorable. 

34.  We  need  a  more  exalted  patriotism.  We  should 
love  our  country  so  well  that  we  not  merely  are  proud  of 
its  great  deeds,  but  also  are  jealous  of  its  fair  fame.      We 


236  THE    YOUNG  AMERICAN 

should  be  ready,  i!'  need  be,  to  die  in  its  defense,  as  so 
many  brave  men  have  done  on  the  field  of  battle.  We 
should  also  Live  in  its  service,  doing  all  in  our  power  to 
keep  it  free  from  reproach. 

35.  Our  National  Hymn. — Samuel  F.  Smith  was  horn 
in  Boston  in  18<)8.  and  graduated  at  Earvard  College 
in  1829,  in  the  same  class  with  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 
It  was  at  a  reunion  of  that  class  that  Dr.  Holmes  read  ;i 
droll  poem  called  "  The  Boys,"  in  which  he  referred  to 
Dr.  Smith  in  the  following  lines  : 

And  there's  a  nice  youngster  of  excellent  pith — 
Fate  tried  to  conceal  him  by  naming  him  Smith; 
But  he  shouted  a  song  for  the  brave  and  the  free — 
Just  read  on  his  medal,  "My  country, — of  thee!  " 

36.  "America"  was  written  in  1832  for  a  children's 
Sunday-school  meeting  in  Boston.  It  is  now  the  favorite 
national  hymn.     Dr.  Smith  died  in  1895. 

America 

S.  P.  Smith 

My  country  !  'tis  of  thee, 
Sweet  land  of  liberty, 

Of  thee  I  sing  ; 
Land  where  my  fathers  died, 
Land  of  the  pilgrims'  pride ; 
From  every  mountain  side, 

Let  freedom  ring. 

My  native  country  !  thee, 
Land  of  the  noble  free, 
Thy  name  I  love : 


Till:    YOUNO    AMERICAN 

I  love  thj  rocks  aud  rills, 
Thy  woods  and  templed  hills; 
My  heart  with  rapture  thrills, 
Lake  that  above. 

Lei  music  swell  the  breeze, 
Ami  ring  from  all  the  trees, 

Sweel  freedom's  song; 

|/(-t  i lal  tongues  awake, 

Lei  all  thai  breathe  partake, 
Lei  rock-  their  silence  break. 

The  sound  prolong. 

( >m-  fathers'  I  rod  !  to  thee, 
Author  of  Liberty  ! 

To  thee  we  sing; 
Lone  mav  our  land  be  brighl 
With  freedom's  holy  lighl ; 
Protecl  u-  by  thy  might, 

Greal  <  rod,  our  King  : 


APPENDIX    A 

A  Few  Words  to  Teachers 

If  a  book  of  this  kind  accomplishes  its  purpose  it  must,  firsi  oi  all, 
awaken  intere.sl  in  the  subject  of  which  it  treats.  Such  interest,  how- 
ever, can  never  be  sated  by  the  information  which  the  book  supplies. 
At  ever)  point  the  intelligenl  reader  will  have  a  multitude  of  queries 
— queries,  many  of  which  the  teacher  will  wish  to  answer  on  the  spot. 
Bui  for  many  others  il  will  be  better  to  direct   the  inquirer  to  suitable 

I ks.    Thus  the  discussions  in  theclass-r n  maybe  made  tin-  means 

of  giving  intelligenl  direction  to  aroused  curiosity  and  of  providing 
an  immediate  motive  for  a  wider  range  of  reading. 

This  will  In-  I  rue  i-sjici-iallv  of  the  historical  questions  which  will  from 
time  to  time  be  raised.  Of  course  "The  Young  American"  is  in  no 
sense  a  history.  So  far  as  it  treats  our  history  il  is  merelj  in  order  to 
illumine  existing  facts — to  make  plain  how  our  government  came  to 
lie  what  it  is.  Obviously,  such  a  treatmenl  of  history  cannol  be,  even 
in  an  elementary  sense,  complete,  nor  can  it  always  be  in  chronological 
order.  Bui  it  will  fully  answer  its  purpose  if  it  does  make  plain  the 
reasons  for  things,  and  if  also  it  inflames  desire  for  wider  knowledge 
of  the  sequence  of  our  nal  ional  life. 

So  far  as  the  structure  and  working  of  our  goveri ni  are  con- 
cerned, it  has  been  necessary  to  speak  in  quite  general  terms.  Bui  to 
give  the  book  living  interest  the  teacher  will  find  it  necessary,  as  far  as 
possible,  to  make  everything  individual  and  local. 

For  instance,  with  regard  to  the  national  government,  the  reader 
should  find  out  such  facts  as  these  :  Who  is  now  the  president  of  the 
United  States,  and  who  the  vice-president  ;  in  what  year  they  were 
elected,  and  as  the  candidates  of  whal  political  part]  ;  when  inaugu- 
rated, and  on  what  dale  their  term  will  expire  ;  who  are  the  United 
States  senators  from  his  state,   when   each  was  eld-ted.  and    from  what 

political  party  :  who  is  the  representative  in  congress  from  his  dis- 
trict, when  he  was  elected,  and  what  i-  his  party  :  who  is  his  postmas- 
ter :  who  is  the  United  State-  districl  judge  for  his  district  ? 

With  regard  to  the  state  government,  there  should  be  a  similar 
inquiry  as  to  the  gover •.  lieutenant-governor  (if  there  is  one),  the  local 


J  in  APPENDIX 

members  of  the  state  legislature,  t  he  county  judge,  the  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  any  other  courts. 

There  should  be  the  same  facts  ascertained  with  reference  to  the 
county,  village,  town,  and  city  government  in  which  one  lives.  As 
regards  the  local  government,  also,  there  should  be  an  inquiry  as  to 
how  far  that  corresponds  with  the  general  statements  of  the  book,  and 
how  it  differs. 

In  other  words,  the  reader  should  be  made  to  apply  everything  he 
learns  about  government  just  as  far  as  possible  to  his  actual  local  con- 
ditions. Thus  he  will  realize  that  government  is  something  which  is 
about  him  all  the  time,  and  not  merely  a  thing  told  about  in  books. 

As  far  as  possible,  illustrative  material  should  be  brought,  into  the 
class.  A  coin,  a  piece  of  paper  currency,  "greenback,"  silver  certifi- 
cate, and  national  bank  note — a  sample  ballot,  an  election  notice,  a 
tax  notice — anything  and  everything  which  can  be  had  to  show  the 
actual  working  of  any  branch  of  government — all  these  will  be  of 
great  value. 

The  readers  should  be  encouraged  to  ask  questions,  and  to  tell  any- 
thing which  they  may  know  bearing  on  the  subject. 

It  will  be  seen  that  throughout  the  book  there  are  not  many  notes 
and  explanations.  The  author  expects  the  teacher  to  be  the  living 
commentary.  This  is  the  only  adequate  method.  Classes  differ  widely 
in  their  attainments  and  needs.  The  teacher  is  the  only  one  who 
can  adapt  a  given  book  to  the  special  needs  for  which  he  has  to  provide. 

But  the  teacher  can  do  more  than  direct  the  intelligence  of  his  class 
to  a  comprehension  of  the  structure  of  the  republic.  Patriotism  in 
feeling  can  be  taught  as  well.  In  many  ways  patriotic  emotion  can 
be  developed  and  cherished,  and,  above  all,  if  the  teacher  can  implant  a 
keen  sense  of  the  duty  of  a  citizen,  the  work  will  become  of  deep  sig- 
nificance to  the  future  welfare  of  our  beloved  country.  If  the  present 
I  look  can  be  used  as  an  efficient  aid  to  the  teacher  in  such  an  under- 
taking, the  author  will  be  profoundly  grateful. 

APPENDIX    B 

A  Brief  Account  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States* 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  briefly  mentioned  on  page  97 
and  page  98,  was  made  by  a  convention  of  our  wisest    men,  which  met 

*  The  full  text  nf  the  Constitution  may  be  found  in  almost  any  school  lex t- book  ou 
the  history  of  the  United  States  or  on  civil  government. 


APPENDIX  Jll 

at  Philadelphia  in  1787.     The  Constitution  consists  of  a  shorl   prefa 
commonly  called  the  preamble ;  of  seven  parts,  called  articles;  and  of 
fifteen  additions,  called  amend/merits.     These  amendments  have  been 
made  a!  differenl  times,  the  lasl  having  been  adopted  in  1870. 

The  Preambli 

■•  We,  the  people  of  the  United  States,  in  order  to  form  a  more  per- 
fect    union,   establish    justice,   insure    domestic    tranquillity,  provide 

for  the  < unon  defense,  promote  the  general  welfare,  and  secure  the 

blessings  of  libertj   to  ourselves   and   our  posterity,   do  ordain   and 
establish  this  Constitution  for  the  United  States  of  America. 

Articli    I 

This  article  treats  of  federal  laws.  It  is  divided  into  ten  parts. 
called  sections. 

The  first  six  of  these  sections  provide  for  the  federal  law-making 
body,  the  congress  (p.  121). 

The  seventh   section  prescribes  the  methods  which  congress 
follow  iii  making  laws. 

The  eighl  h  seel  ion  contains  t  he  powers  of  congn 1  hat  is.  t  he  kinds 

of  laws  which  congress  may  make 

The  ninth    section  contains  prohibitions  on  congn thai    is,  the 

kinds  of  laws  which  congress  may  not  make. 

The  tenth  section  contains  prohibitions  on  the  states — that  is,  the 
things  which  neither  the  constitutions  nor  the  law-  of  the  states  musl 
permit. 

Articlt    II 

This  article  treats  of  the  enforcement  of  federal  laws.  It  is  divided 
into  four  seel  ions. 

The  firsl  section  provides  lor  the  federal  executive — that  is.  the 
president  of  the  United  States  (p.  128).  It  prescribes  the  mode  of  his 
election,  what  sorl  of  person  may  be  elected,  what  shall  be  done  in 
case  of  the  president's  death,  and  other  matters. 

The  second  section  contains  the  powers  of  the  president — that  i-.  the 
things  which  he  has  a  right  to  do. 

The  third  section  contains  the  duties  of  the  president — that  is.  the 
things  which  he  must  do.* 

*  In  this  section  there  is  one  thing  which  i-  rather  npoicer  than  a  duly,  and  which 
therefore  might  better  have  been   put  in   the  second  section    the  power  to  summon 
congress  in  special  session,  ami  to  adjourn  it  under  certain  circumstai 
Hi 


242  APPENDIX 

Tlic  fourth  section  prescribes  what  shall  be  done  in  case  the  presi- 
dent, or  any  of  the  officers  under  him,  shall  misbehave  in  office. 

Article   III 

This  article  treats  of  the  way  in  which  the  federal  laws  and  Con- 
stitution are  explained,  and  of  how  justice  is  done  in  case  of  dispute 
about  the  meaning  of  these  laws,  or  in  case  they  are  broken.  It  is 
divided  into  three  sections. 

The  first  section  provides  for  the  federal  courts  (p.  102) — "one  su- 
preme court,  and  .  .  .  such  inferior  courts  as  the  Congress  may 
fnun  time  to  time  ordain  and  establish." 

The  second  section  contains  the  powersof  the  federal  courts — that  is, 
what  sorts  of  lawsuits  they  may  decide. 

The  third  section  defines  the  crime  of  treason,  and  prescribes  how  it 
may.  and  how  it  may  not,  be  punished. 

Article  IV 

This  article  treats  of  the  states.     It  is  divided  into  four  sections. 

The  first  and  second  sections  detail  some  duties  of  the  states  to  one 
another. 

The  third  section  prescribes  how  new  states  may  be  admitted  into 
the  Union  (p.  101),  and  gives  congress  the  control  of  the  federal  ter- 
ritory (p.  106). 

The  fourth  section  details  some  duties  of  the  Union  to  the  separate 

-tales. 

Article  V 

This  article  treats  of  the  way  in  which  the  federal  Constitution  may 

be  amended — that  is.  changed  in  any  way  by  alteration  or  addition. 

It  is  in  the  way  here  prescribed  that  the  fifteen  amendments  (p.  241, 

24:!)  have  been  adopted. 

Article   VI 

This  article  (in  three  sections)  contains  some  miscellaneous  agree- 
ments. 

The  most,  important  is  the  second  section,  which  provides  that  the 
Constitution,  laws,  and  treaties  of  the  United  States  "shall  be  the 
supreme  law  of  the  land."'  and  that  no  stale  may  make  any  law  which 
shall  conflict  with  them,  or  with  any  part  of  them. 

Article    VII 
This    article    provided   that   as   soon   as    nine  of   the  thirteen  states 
should  accept  the  Constitution,  the  government  for  which  if  provided 
should  at  once  go  into  effect. 


API'EXhIX  343 

It  has  been  said  thai  the  convention  which  framed  the  Constitution 
nut  .it  Philadelphia  in  1787.  General  Washington  presided.  The 
work  was  finished  in  the  early  autumn,  ami  tin-  congress  at  once  senl 
the  proposed  plan  of  governmenl  to  tin-  states.  They  approved  it.  ami 
so,  as  provided  in  the  seventh  article,  the  nev  governmenl  was  Formed. 
Senators  and  representatives  were  elected  from  the  several  -tat'-,  ami 
George  Washington  was  unanimously  elected  president.  The  new 
congress  met  at  New  York  on  the  Itb  of  March,  1789.  Thus  this  is 
the  date,  every  second  year,  of  the  beginning  of  t  In-  term  of  a  new  eon 
gress,  ami  every  fourth  year  Hi' the  inauguration  of  a  new  presidenl 

Tin.  Amendments 

Prom  time  to  time  changes  ami  additions  have  been  made  in  the 
way  prescribed  in  Article  A'.  There  are  now  fifteen  of  these  amend- 
ments. 

The  first  ten  amendments  were  all  adopted  in  the  firsl  term  of 
Washington  a-  president,  and  are  further  prohibitions  on  congress,  or 

on   the   federal   e -is— that   is.  they   contain  a  list   of  things  which 

neither  congress  nor  the  courts  may  <lc 

The  eleventh  amendment,  adopted  in  1798,  is  another  prohibition 
on  t  he  federal  courts. 

The  twelfth  amendment  changes  the  way  of  electing  the  presidenl 
and  vice-president.  The  old  way,  as  provided  in  Article  II,  was 
found  to  he  very  clumsy,  so  this  amendment  was  made  (in  lsu-J). 

The  [as!  three  amendments  were  adopted  after  the  civil  war.  The 
thirteenth  prohibits  slavery.  The  fourteenth  has  several  sections 
relating  to  citizenship,  elections,  public  office,  and  the  public  debt. 
The  fifteenth  amendment  is  a.prohibition  on  the  states,  with  referenci 

tO  elect  ions. 


APPENDIX   C 

The  Constitutions  of  the  States 

We  have  seen  (p.  98)  thai  each  state  in  the  Union  has  a  constitution 
of  its  own.  .lust  as  the  federal  Constitution  was  framed  by  a  conven- 
tion of  men  elected  from  the  several  states,  so  a  state  constitution  is 
drawn  up  by  a  convention  elected  by  the  people  of  the  state.  I  sually 
the  people  of  the  state  then  vote  <>n  the  question  of  accepting  the  con- 
stitution thus  proposed. 


J 1 1  APPENDIX 

The  stale  constitutions  are  alike  in  providing  for  ;i  government  con- 
sisting- of  a  legislature  in  two  houses,  a  governor,  and  law  courts. 
Then,  there  are  sections  dealing  with  the  powers  and  duties  of  these 
different  branches  of  the  government,  and  many  sections  containing 
prohibitions,  especially  on  the  legislature.  There  is  always  an  article 
containing  the  way  in  which  the  constitution  may  be  amended,  and 
usually  several  others  relating  to  different  kinds  of  state  business — 
education,  counties,  cities,  finance,  and  the  like. 

A  slate  constitution  is  often  very  long — much  longer  than  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  Stales. 

Each  reader  should,  by  all  means,  get  a  copy  of  the  constitution  of 
liis  slate  and  see  what  it  contains. 


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